


Fate Brave/Shine

by The Pendragon Compendium (Echo_Foxtrot_17)



Category: Fate/stay night - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:42:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 75,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21727723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echo_Foxtrot_17/pseuds/The%20Pendragon%20Compendium
Summary: How far would you go for the sake of someone you love? How much would you risk to save them from an eternal nightmare? Would you risk everything? Shirō has been given a second chance to do just that. Armed with more than determination and the memories of the past, he will seek to correct what he views as the greatest injustice caused by Fate.
Relationships: Emiya Shirou/Artoria Pendragon | Saber
Comments: 7
Kudos: 47





	1. Prologue

_"If the past cannot be changed, then the present will never change"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Prologue**

It had been several days since the end of the latest Holy Grail War. In that time, Shirō Emiya had come to realize that a mistake had been made. Not on his part, but on Fate's. During his time with Saber, they had bonded. More than that, they completed each other in ways that could not be given justice with simple things such as words.

If he closed his eyes and opened his mind, he could still feel her presence. He could smell her on his clothes. He could hear her humming contently. It was almost enough to make him think that she was happy.

Almost.

The image of her beaten, broken, and bloody at the hands of Gilgamesh still haunted his thoughts, leading to all-too-realistic nightmares that threatened to consume him. He could feel the very fibers of his being being pulled in opposite directions. Shirō knew that it would only be a matter of time before he was torn apart.

He and Saber- no. He would not call her by that title. Not now, after they had been so close. After she had asked, as she was fading away, that he say her name. Arturia. He and Arturia had won. They had found the truth of the Grail together with Rin Tohsaka and, instead of making a wish, they chose to destroy the Grail. Together. He, after recently unlocking the ability to access Archer's, or rather, his Unlimited Blade Works, and Arturia had combined their waning power to destroy the Grail to put an end to the war.

They did so knowing that she would have to return to her time. Return to a blood-soaked hill, piled high with bodies. She'd relive the nightmare that was her final, fleeting moments of Kingship over and over until the Grail called upon her once more. Shirō had asked Rin if there were any ways to bring her forward in time, to save her from that hell, but she hadn't a clue. Though she was a genius, even she was stumped when presented with Shirō's wish to save his former Servant.

After some persuasion and begging, she allowed him to look through all of her family's records on the Grail and it's Servants. All that mattered to him was getting Arturia back. His ideals of becoming a Hero of Justice could wait. He'd have time for that later.

After days of reading without sleep or nourishment, he had closed the final book. Nothing. There was nothing he could do. He swiped his hands, knocking everything on the table to the floor in a fit of anger, something he was not known for.

"I need to go back. I need to help her. I need to save her!"

Shirō didn't have any time to react as his vision was obscured by an intense flash of golden light.

* * *

Shirō struggled to his feet, looking upon the Grail. At his feet laid the three most important people. Rin Tohsaka, Sakura Matou, and Arturia Pendragon. In front of the Grail was a man cloaked in gold, laughing maniacally. Gilgamesh. He had killed Ilya to bring down the Grail early. To lure him and Arturia out. It worked. Despite all of their combined efforts, the Heroic Spirit was too powerful. Sakura's Rider was defeated nearly instantly. Rin's Archer put up a good fight, but Gilgamesh fought dirty. He sent one of his seemingly endless Noble Phantasms towards Rin, and he was forced to block it with his own body. Afterwards, both Rin and Sakura were killed without hesitation on Gilgamesh's part. Arturia had used her own Noble Phantasm on the man twice and yet he still stood, able to beat her down. When Shirō tried to step in, he was impaled.

Avalon was healing him, but it didn't matter. Gilgamesh was too powerful for him alone to defeat. He tried to project something, anything to attack the man with, but his Magic Circuts were fried. So instead, he pulled the blade out of his leg that Gilgamesh had put there and charged.

Only to be backhanded nearly ten yards away. Every bone in his body screamed, and his muscles ached more than they ever had before. Still, he tried to pick himself up, the sight of Gilgamesh picking Arturia up by the collar fueling his rage.

"I told you that I would take what I wanted by force." He said, hefting Arturia up to eye level. Even after being beaten down, she held fire in her eyes. She hated this man. She hated him more than anything.

The world went quiet when he pulled out Rule Breaker. Shirō knew what he was going to do. He couldn't allow it. He _wouldn't_ allow it. He forced a massive amount of Prana into his legs, reinforcing them beyond anything he had before, speeding towards them faster than any normal human would be capable of.

Gilgamesh was not a normal human. He was a Servant. That means he saw Shirō coming long before he got to his second step. He was quicker. Before Shirō got to them, he had already plunged Rule Breaker into Arturia's stomach.

"You're mine." Gilgamesh whispered, before letting go of her. Gravity took control and she sailed towards the earth.

Shirō screamed, just barely being fast enough to catch her. There, in the dust, he told her that she'd be okay. That they would find a way out of this and beat him somehow.

Gilgamesh's body glowed, showing dozens upon dozens of Command Seals. "Saber, by the power of this Command Seal, I order you.."

Shirō and Arturia's eyes met, wide with panic. Already, Arturia could feel her body reacting to the Command Seal. "Run." She whispered.

He couldn't run. The amount of Prana he pumped into he legs completely destroyed them. They were useless.

".. to kill your former master."

Arturia's Magic Resistance was doing it's job, but wouldn't last forever. If Gilgamesh used another Command Seal, her body would move on it's own. "I'm sorry, Shirō."

His eyes met hers, both of them filled with tears. Shirō smiled a bittersweet smile. "I'm the one who is sorry. I just wish it hadn't turned out this way."

As Gilgamesh used a second Command Seal to order Saber to kill Shirō, he didn't notice the Grail behind him glowing.

Just as Saber was about to bring down her Excalibur to sever Shirō's head from his body, they both cried out "I love you" before their world was filled with a flash of gold.

* * *

Shirō's execution date had come. He wasn't sad. Only disappointed. In the people who he saved, who had branded him as the mastermind behind the war they were fighting, and in himself. They'd given him just over a day to come to terms with it after they had captured him, worn down from fighting off their enemies.

The man behind his execution knew the truth. It was a betrayal, through and through. A way to place the blame, to focus the hatred, instead of letting it spill outwards onto an undeserving populace. Shirō had seen it before with other people in his position. Ever since destroying the Grail, he had known he was living on borrowed time.

As they led him from his makeshift cell, something he could have easily escaped from, his thoughts were of his past involving the Grail. Of Kiritsugu, taking him in, teaching him, preparing him for whatever might come. Making nice with Tohsaka early on in his school life. Becoming Sakura's pillar of strength. Standing at Kiritsugu's funeral. Saber.

Arturia. They had been through so much, and at the end of it all they were forced apart. By time, by the Grail, and by Fate itself. For a time, he had searched for a way to get back to her. He tracked down every bit of material on Camelot, Arthur (rather, Arturia) Pendragon, and the Grail system. That's what led to him to making a contract with the World, which put him in his current position.

When he made the contract, he was forced to stop searching for a way to get back to her. His contract was constantly demanding his attention and action. If he wasn't sleeping, he was fighting, or heading towards a fight. He was aware of what would come next. After all, Archer had said exactly what would come, and so far it was all true. He would be executed, and in death he would become a Counter Guardian, one of Alaya's dogs. Killing a hundred people to save a thousand. Sacrificing one innocent to save two. Always fighting for the greater good.

He had once told Archer that he wouldn't follow that path. He said he would never become him. Now, he felt foolish to think he could go against Fate. It always got what it wanted in the end, didn't it?

He felt the rough rope noose around his neck as the town's elder spoke of his supposed crimes. Even still, all he could think about was wanting another chance. A way to go back. If not to prevent his current situation, then just to see _her_ face once again. To be with her once more, however fleeting those moments in time might be. As the elder finished and prepared to release the trap-door which Shirō stood upon, which would lead to his neck being snapped, he made one silent wish.

As the trap-door gave way, time slowed to a near halt. Shirō opened his eyes and saw that from over the horizon, a brilliant, all-encompassing golden light was enveloping the landscape, heading straight towards them faster than he was falling to his death. Just before the rope could pull tight, the light enveloped him.

* * *

Shirō was thrown roughly onto a wooden floor. He gasped as the air in his lungs felt as if they were forced out of him. His mind was swimming and his body ached. As he struggled to his feet, using a nearby chair for support, he could tell he wasn't alone.

"Ah, it seems to have worked!" A voice rang out, clearly younger than his own, yet at the same time so much older.

Shirō looked up to see a figure draped in what could only be described as a Mage's robe. The hood was down, allowing Shirō to see a young face, looking to be around 16 years old. In his hand was a staff. The staff was made of wood, beautifully etched with several metal pieces attached, with bright glowing Amethyst jewel at the top. Due to a habit, he immediately tried to trace it, but found that it was impossible. That had never been the case before. For any weapon, from Kanshu and Byakua to Excalibur. A thousand questions came to mind.

So did a thousand memories.

Shirō's brain was wracked with pain as it was filled with memory after memory, thousands of pages worth of information, and years of experience. He clutched his head and screamed.

"Oh dear. I was not aware it would be painful." The young man said, striding over to Shirō. Afterwards, everything went black and Shirō was unconscious.

* * *

It shouldn't have been possible. By all accounts, it was strictly impossible. Not just improbable, but legitimately impossible. Yet, here he was. He remembered everything. Everything and then some, several times over. He wasn't sure which memories were his, and which were those of another him, or if they were all his, or if none of them were. All he knew was that the impossible had happened.

He watched in hesitation as the strange man prepared tea for them. He hadn't said much so far, only that they would discuss it over tea and that it's been forever since he had a visitor. Shirō didn't know where he was, but he was well aware that something was _off_ about the room, which appeared to be a one-room cottage.

It had all the basic amenities of a cottage in the middle of the woods would have. Wood fueled stove, table, chairs, sink, bed, oil lanterns, candles, and storage. Not much else.

"Here we are" The man said, bringing over a tray with two cups of tea. He set the tray on the table and sat opposite of Shirō.

"So, about those questions.." Shirō began.

The man smiled earnestly. "Please, ask away"

Shirō didn't know where to begin. He wanted to ask so many questions he didn't know where to start. As he looked around the room, his eyes settled on the staff. The one thing in all existence Shirō wasn't able to trace, from what he knew, anyways.

"That staff. What is it?"

The man followed his eyes to the staff. After a moment of silence, he laughed loudly. After recovering, he spoke "You.. Your first question is about my staff?"

His answer came in the form of a nod.

"Well then, I suppose it is only fair I answer. As you said, it is a staff. I made it myself."

Shirō's jaw muscles tightened. When the man had said he'd answer his questions, he assumed that he would be forthcoming in those answers. "Is it a Noble Phantasm? A Mystic Code? Something of that nature?"

The man put down his tea, looking to Shirō with a much more serious, neutral expression. "No. Nothing of that sort. You are wondering why you cannot trace it, correct?"

That caught Shirō off guard. He was wondering how much the stranger knew about him, and that was an answer he wasn't prepared for. "Well.. yes."

"That is because it cannot be replicated. The staff was an accident of sorts. It's very existence goes against Fate itself. You know something of that, do you not?"

Shirō wasn't sure where this was going, but he was much more uneasy now than he had been minutes prior. "Okay, so that's two questions down.. Who are you?"

Silence was not something Shirō wanted, but that's what he got for a long moment. It stretched on for what felt like an eternity before the stranger answered. "You may call me Moros."

Great. Not actually his name, from how he phrased it. "Well.. Moros.. where are we? Why am I here? Why do I have memories of multiple lives?" His voice rose as he spoke, sounding more and more agitated by the end of it.

"I can see you are in no mood for games. So, I shall cut to the heart of the matter." Moros said, raising his hand. The staff, from it's position across the cottage, flew into it. He stood and gestured Shirō to do the same. When he did, he banged his staff on the wooden floor once and reality around them faded.

The image of a homely cottage gave way to what could only be described as a cave. Shirō could feel the magical energy pulsating around him, indicating only one thing. A magical prison. It was strong, too. Stronger than anything he had felt before, including all of his 'lives' that he has apparently lived.

"We are in my prison. I felt it was best you did not arrive to this ghastly image, so I whipped up that little cottage." Moros said, walking over to the entrance of the cave. He tapped his staff against a magical barrier. "As you can see, this is a prison. I have been here for some time. You are here for two reasons, both of them equal."

He banged his staff once more and reality once more bended to this strange man's will. In the center of the circular cavern, a bright light appeared, followed by a fade-in of the Grail.

"First off, the surrounding reason for why you are here is this. The Sangraal. Were it not for this, you would not be in this position." The image changed, one more familiar to him. Arturia. "She is also the reason you are here. Were it not for your connection to her, your mutual bond that spans throughout time itself, I would not have been able to call you here."

The image changed once more, this time of a rolling picture not unlike a silent movie of Shirō himself. All of his actions. From all the memories he had. "You yourself are the final reason you are here. As time flows, it does so in many directions. Your memories are all of you, and they are all legitimate. I have gathered as many of 'you' as I could and pulled you here."

Shirō felt numb. This was all completely over his head. While he understood a bit of it, the bits he did understand shook him to the very core. The reality of the situation was just setting in for him. His mind was reeling.

"I did so with the intention of granting your wish."

That brought everything to a halt. Wish? Could he mean..?

"I am not the Grail. I do not require you to know how to grant your own wish. I already know it, and I know how to grant it." He said, his serious gaze meeting Shirō's.

"Do you mean.. That I.."

He was cut off, the image changing back to Arturia. "You can go back. With all the knowledge you have now. All of the power you possess. All I need is your answer."

Shirō felt he could scream out his answer, but held himself back. Nothing came free. He knew as much from the Grail. "What do you get out of it? What is it you want from this?"

Moros sighed deeply. In half a second, it seemed like he aged several thousand years, yet retained his outward youthful appearance. "I want you to save her. She is living a cursed existence, one she does not deserve."

Shirō's shoulders dropped. "I can't. It's not possible. I've.. I've tried that before. I followed every lead. Read every book. If it is possible, it's not me who can do it."

"On the contrary, Shirō. You are the only one who can do it."

Shirō looked up at the man skeptically, but with a hidden hope that he was speaking the truth.

"I have watched you. More than what you know. I have seen you go down routes that you do not remember. You could not save her then, but you can now."

How? How could he save her? He couldn't even save himself, remembering the times they lost. Even going back with all he knew, even if everything played out like he knew how it could, it would end with the Grail being destroyed and Arturia returning to living a nightmare. A nightmare he couldn't save her from.

"It'll end the same way. That is what you are thinking, but that is not the truth."

Could he read minds?

"As we both have stepped on Fate, we are no strangers to Fate's cold, heartless ways. Your Fate was to become Arturia's Master. Together, your Fates were to destroy the Sangraal. That is where Fate stops."

Shirō was confused, but as he worked through his words, he started to understand. "If that's where Fate stops, at destroying the Grail, then Fate doesn't require Artu- Saber to return to her nightmare. Right?" Shirō stumbled on her name. He had never before divulged her name to others. He had only spoken it to her, or to himself. But, he realized, Moros already knew her name.

"Correct."

As Shirō felt hope fill him once more, his mind worked at a rapid pace. They'd have to get through the Grail war once again. They'd have to deal with Archer, Berserker, Caster, Rider, Lancer, and Assassin. They'd need to take care of Kirei Kotomine and Souchirou Kuzuki. Somehow, get Ilya to give up without hurting her, keep Sakura out of the war, and.. Gilgamesh. They'd need to kill Gilgamesh.

Just thinking of the man filled Shirō with rage. But that rage faded as he thought about the Grail. Then what? They'd destroy it. And.. She'd go away. There wasn't anything he could think of that didn't end with her leaving with the Grail.

"How? How am I supposed to save her?"

He saw Moros smirk, as if he were awaiting that question. As he banged his staff once more, Shirō noticed something strange. Around his feet were flowers, flowers that somehow sprouted up from the rock beneath him, all of them pointed in his direction.

The image changed. It turned into a blade. A blade so magnificent that he felt it rivaled Excalibur in beauty and craftsmanship. Stronger than Arondight. Brighter than Excalibur Galatine. Yet, it was different. The blade seemed almost sentient. As if it were reaching outward towards something or someone else. Perhaps another blade, or perhaps a person.

This blade might even be able to stand toe-to-toe with Ea. Even gazing upon it filled with him strength he didn't know he held within him. But a question remained. How was he supposed to save her? With this sword? How was that supposed to work?

"This time, it will be you who destroys the Sangraal." He started "With this, you will sever her connection to the Sangraal."

"She'll stay after the Grail is gone?"

Moros smiled a bittersweet smile. "I do not know. Perhaps she shall remain. Perhaps she will be sent back herself much like the opportunity I am giving you. I suspect that depends on what she wants."

While it wasn't exactly what he wanted, it was enough. If he could save her, even if it were only her and nobody else, it would be enough. That's what mattered most. Everything else paled in comparison.

"So you're going to give me this sword?" Shirō asked, gazing upon all of it's majesty.

"No," Moros said, banishing the image. "You are going to be the one who gives it shape, and I shall be the one who gives it life." He walked up to Shirō, flowers appearing in his steps. "It will be a very painful process. This blade will be forged from your soul. It is not an easy thing to do, nor is it quick."

Shirō knew what he wanted to do. There was just one more thing..

"What about you? You're practically handing me everything I want. What is it you get out of this?"

Moros tilted his head, as if considering the question. "I told you. I want you to save Arturia. That's what I get out of this."

It couldn't be left there, Shirō thought. That's not all there is to it. "But what about _you_? I'm pretty sure that it has something to do with this prison you're in."

The stranger shook his head. "No. This does not specifically have anything to do with my present situation."

"Then what is your situation? I hardly find it fair that I be given everything I want by a man who is trapped against his will." Shirō pressed, not satisfied with Moros's answers.

"Who am I, Shirō?" He asked.

That was a big question. A very big, very loaded question. Shirō went over everything he had observed. He asked to be called Moros, but he knew that wasn't his real name. He possessed a staff he was incapable of tracing. He seemed to be an extremely powerful Magus. His outward age was not a real indicator of his age, from the way he spoke.

Flowers seemed to grow where ever he walked, even if it would normally be impossible. He knew of Shirō despite being trapped in this magical prison. He also knew of Arturia, and seemed to have a deep, personal understanding of her situation. He called the Grail the Sangraal, a word not used for the Grail for a very, very long time, and to top it all off, he was trapped in a prison that was more powerful than anything he had ever felt before.

Wait.

Wait wait wait.

Could it be? Could this man be _him_? If the legends were true, he should look much, much older than this. Even still, how would he even be alive? Was he pulled backwards in time even further than the beginning of the Grail war?

"You.. You're Merlin?"

The man in question smiled. "Indeed. That should tell you why I am doing this."

Shirō's mind reeled once more. Merlin. Myrddin. One of, if not _the_ most renown Magus throughout history. That explained his seemingly personal stake in this. But..

"Merlin. You didn't pull me back to when Arturia was King, did you?"

"No, I did not." Merlin replied.

"We're still in modern times, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are." Merlin confirmed, knowing where this was heading.

"This cell, whatever this is, it's kept you alive this whole time, hasn't it? From the time you walked into it until now."

"Indeed."

Shirō sat down on the cold stone floor. "You were waiting. This entire time, you were waiting for a way to do this. That's why you didn't contact Kiritsugu. You knew he wouldn't go along with this"

Merlin joined Shirō on the floor, sitting like he was intimately familiar with every inch of the ground he sat upon. He probably was, Shirō thought. "You are partly correct. I was waiting. After I cast aside my anger at being trapped, after I already deduced that I would be trapped here for eternity, I decided to find a way to correct my mistakes of the past in a different manner."

He waved his hand, summoning a small image of Kiritsugu. He looked much different than the adoptive father Shirō knew. He looked cold and calculated. No emotion on his face. "In time, I could have convinced Kiritsugu Emiya to do my bidding. He would have agreed if I told him he could save his precious Irisviel and Illyasviel. He could have severed Arturia's connection to the Sangraal. However, there would be no chance at her living a fulfilling life. She would simply disappear and her legacy would be set in stone."

The image changed to one of Shirō himself. "When I witnessed him implant Avalon into you, Shirō, I knew. From there, I watched you grow. I watched you fight. Throughout multiple strings of time, I witnessed as each time, you stepped on Fate in some way or another."

Shirō's image changed to one of Arturia. "One thing remained a constant. The connection, the bond between you and Arturia. That is why I put my plan into action. That bond can be the very thing that saves her."

Shirō looked to Merlin "Then I'll do it. If I can save her, that will be enough. No, even if I fail, being able to see her one more time will be enough."

Merlin closed his eyes and nodded. However, he stopped after hearing what Shirō had to say next. "If I succeed, I'll repay you. I'll find a way to break this prison and free you."

When Merlin's eyes opened, they were as hard as stone, and his voice was it's equal. "Shirō. A power far greater than you or I lured me into this cell for a reason, and it does not with for me to go free."

"I can't just stand by and let you rot away in here while I-" Shirō was cut off as Merlin rose to his feet, looking down upon Shirō with a gaze that could kill a dragon.

"If you go back with the intention of freeing me, you will awaken the very power that put me into this prison. She is not to be taken lightly. She may even interfere with your quest to save Arturia."

That stopped Shirō. A threat outside of what he knew meant there was an additional unknown that could present itself during the war. He already knew there were other possible routes he hadn't seen or been given the memory of. Stacking what Merlin said to be stronger than him in that camp was a terrifying thought.

However, he couldn't forsake Merlin, who was offering to give him a second chance. "Then we'll deal with it then. Me and Arturia. Together."

Merlin's visage faded to a sad smile. "Very well. I know better than to try and change your mind. We do not have very much time, so we should get started immediately."

He banged his staff once more and the cozy cottage reappeared. He gestured to the chair. After Shirō sat down, Merlin spoke once more. "All you must do is endure. You cannot hesitate. You cannot stop this once I start. You must cling to life. If you do not, this will kill you."

Shirō nodded. "I have too much to do to die here. One last question, though. What is the name of the sword?"

Merlin laughed. "It does not have a name. It does not exist yet, and I cannot give a name to something that is not mine. What I showed you was not necessarily the form it shall take, nor what it will remain as."

Shirō's confusion was evident on his face, so Merlin elaborated. "The image I showed to you was nothing more than something I designed to hold the power, the hope, and the salvation that it stored within. It acted only as a generic container."

Shirō's brow pursed. "So, that feeling I got looking at it.."

Merlin nodded. " _That_ shall remain. You will give it shape, be it consciously or not. This time, Shirō, the weapon is truly yours. Everything that exists inside the blade already exists inside you. It is just waiting to come forth."

Shirō nodded. "Let's get this started, then."

* * *

All Shirō felt was pain. It surrounded him, infested him, and ate him from the inside out. The pain he experienced was not just on a physical level. His very soul was in just as much pain. It was as if he were on fire. No, that's not quite right. It was as if he _were_ a fire. A blazing inferno that threatened to consume everything.

He stood against this pain. He knew that if he were to flinch, if he even thought about trying to escape it, he wouldn't be able to save Arturia. That was unacceptable. He couldn't allow that to happen. He wouldn't.

So he stood against the pain. Seconds turn to minutes. Minutes turned to hours. Hours turned to days. Each second was an eternity of it's own on the inside, and on the outside seven days had passed. Finally, when the seventh day came to a close, the pain ended, and Shirō once more knew the sweet embrace of sleep.

Shirō dreamed of her. Of them. Together, long after the war. He dreamed of them starting a life together, one without the idea of being pulled apart looming over their heads. He dreamed of seeing the world together. Traveling to places on a whim, even visiting the location of where Camelot once stood. He dreamed of holding her, being her rock in that moment, where she confronted her past to continue her future. Their future.

For what felt like the first time in years, he didn't dream of the terrible fates he had met before. There were no thoughts of danger, no images of Gilgamesh's arrogant smirk. No phantom pain from being impaled by so many of his blades. No feeling of hopelessness. Only joy.

When he woke, he saw Merlin, the man who had given him a second chance, standing over him. He looked frail. His skin was much more pale than it had been before the process. Almost immediately, without regard to himself, Shirō sat up and asked what was wrong.

"It is nothing, child. I am simply out of practice, so so speak, so the entire process was quite draining for me. I will recover in time." Merlin said. Shirō noticed a large portion of his weight was placed on the staff he carried.

"Are you sure?"

Merlin smiled. It was weak, but it was genuine. "Quite. As much as this prison holds me, it also keeps me alive. Were I allowed to die, I could resurrect myself given the proper preparation and time."

That's when Shirō noticed two things. Firstly, his contract with the World was voided. He could no longer feel it's influence. Secondly, though that contract was severed, likely by Merlin himself, he retained all the knowledge of the Grail system that came with the contract. He knew of every name of every servant residing in their own personal nightmares, waiting for a chance to make a wish upon the Grail should they be chosen and win.

Merlin wasn't on that list of names. Despite being the known throughout the world, both to normal people and people who had insight into the magical world, Merlin was not a Heroic Spirit. That, he already knew. Merlin confirmed as such. But, neither was Morgan le Fay. The woman who was heralded as Merlin's rival.

"Merlin.. What you said before about a power greater than you. It's Morgan le Fay, isn't it? And she's still alive, right?"

Merlin closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He spoke, "She has had a very long time to grow her power. If she had died, I would have felt it, and this prison wouldn't be able to hold me. I do not know why, but her influence on the outside world stopped shortly after Arturia's death."

Shirō's heart lurched in his chest. Though he already knew, hearing that Arturia has long since died was not an easy thing to hear. Merlin continued "That is why I worry about what will happen when I send you back. Even were she only as powerful as she was when I last felt her influence, she would be able to feel it, and she would investigate."

"And she might try to sabotage our plans." Shirō said.

Merlin nodded again. "She would. Were it only to save Arturia, I believe she would not interfere. Her hatred for the King was only due to my role in raising her up."

Merlin sat down in the chair opposite of Shirō. He breathed deeply, as if recalling a sad memory. "She is not evil. Not inherently. She simply cannot look past what all has transpired. Her own power consumed her, allowing for negative emotions to guide her actions. That is why she will not allow you to free me. Not without a fight."

Shirō stood and slowly paced around the room. As he did so, he spoke "What if we can save her from herself?"

Merlin's sad smile was an indication of an answer Shirō would not like. "I tried. She would not listen to me."

"What about me?"

Merlin paused. He once tried to steer Morgan back onto a good path, but that had backfired, which eventually led to him being imprisoned. He knew Arturia could not reconcile with her sister. But someone else.. Someone whose ideals burned as bright as the Sun in the sky? Perhaps..

Merlin shook his head. "She is powerful, Shirō. She would not so easily fall to words."

Shirō's shoulders drooped, but only slightly. "Alright then. If she comes after us, I'll stop her. With all my might."

Shirō looked around the room, looking for the blade that they had forged together but saw nothing of the sort. Merlin was quick to notice. "The blade is not here. It is within you. When you need it, it will appear. From that moment until the end of time, that blade shall be with you."

"Did you see it?" Shirō asked

Merlin smirked. "I did. But, you will have to wait to see it yourself. All you need to do is focus on what you desire most, and the blade shall take corporeal form."

Just then, a bright blue light opened up in the room. The light swirled inwards. It was a portal. Merlin was the first to speak up. "It appears that's all the time we have, Shirō. Step through the portal. Be cautious, but save Arturia."

Shirō said nothing. Instead, he nodded. As he approached the portal, he did so with the full intention of freeing Merlin from his cell. He also did so with the intention of saving Morgan le Fay from herself. He didn't look back. If he had, he would have stopped.

* * *

Just as he stepped through the portal and it closed, another portal appeared in the room. This one was red. A body stumbled through the portal, dressed in a blue and white. Armor that was well-worn, but still sturdy. A head of golden hair that matched the golden blade she carried.

"Hello, Arturia" Merlin said, his voice cheerful. His demeanor was different than it was with Shirō. Instead of the imposing Magus, he was simply Merlin. A half-human, half-incubus hybrid who was clumsy and spaced out. A man who had the spirit of a boy.

Arturia's head snapped up. There, she saw Merlin. The man who had helped raise her to kingship. A troublesome man who was known for causing mischief, but an incredibly powerful Magus as well.

Seconds earlier she was reliving her final moments. A nightmare that she wanted to end, but knew she couldn't. This was her most recent respite from that nightmare since the Fifth Holy Grail war. The war where she fell in love. The war where her and Shirō destroyed the Grail together.

"Merlin. Although it is good to see you, why am I here? I should be-"

"Back atop that hill, waiting for the next war?" He finished, smiling at her. She hated that smile. It always preceded some kind of scheme or plot.

Arturia nodded. Only afterwards did she examine her surroundings. She knew then what had happened. Or, she thought she did. "You've been imprisoned this whole time?"

Merlin nodded, humming.

"You know of my fate? Of what happened after you were forced to flee Camelot?"

He nodded again, now rocking slightly.

"Then why am I here? You know you can't free me from the Grail." Arturia exclaimed. She began pacing around the room, careful to avoid the portal that was still open.

Merlin's humming ceased. "Tell me Arturia, do you want to see him again?"

That stopped her. Did she want to see him again? Of course she did. But, how did Merlin know about Shirō? That was the only person he could be talking about. Even still, she couldn't. Not unless there were another Grail war and both she and Shirō were chosen for it again.

"Of course I do, old man. But you know as well as I do that the chance of that happening is-"

"Slim to none? Nonexistent? Are you sure about that?" Merlin asked, his gaze falling upon Arturia.

Arturia's heart started to beat in her chest at a rapid pace. "What are you saying?"

Merlin waved a hand and a second portal appeared. This one was blue, instead of the red one she was pulled through. "I'm asking if you want to see Shirō again, Arturia."

She knew he liked to play games, but he never played games with her emotions. Not like this. That's how she knew he was being genuine. "More than anything"

"More than the Grail? More than a chance to fix the mistakes of your past?"

There was no hesitation when she answered. "More than that."

The red portal disappeared. "Then step through the portal. You'll go back to the start of the war, knowing what you do now. You'll see him again."

The silence that followed was deafening and long. Arturia's mind worked quickly. Would this work? Could she see him again? Would she be able to protect him again? Would he love her as he had before?

Why was Merlin doing this?

"Why are you doing this, Merlin?" She trusted him, but she had to know his reasons.

One of Merlin's rare, honest smiles graced his face. "I'm doing this for you, child. You want this as much as you need it."

Arturia could tell Merlin was hiding something, but that didn't matter. He was always hiding something. His tail, for example.

Despite that, despite all of his mischief, she trusted him. As she stepped through the portal, she spoke one final time to him. "Thank you, Merlin."

The portal closed and Merlin was left alone. The image of the cabin faded away. He stood alone in his cell once more. "Anything for you, child. Anything for you."


	2. Repeat

_"On the darkest of my days you saved my life"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 1: Repeat**

Shirō's eyes shot open and he lurched forwards. He scanned his surroundings to find himself back in his room at home. A barren room that held very little in the way of decoration and an ample reflection of the way he once viewed himself. Shirō cupped his face in his hands, trying to figure out if what he just experienced was a dream or not. Trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't.

He went over the memories in his head. Memories that contradicted each other. That wouldn't make any sense, unless..

**" _Trace, on"_**

_Judging the concept of creation_

_Hypothesizing the basic structure_

_Duplicating the composition material_

_Imitating the skill of its making_

_Sympathizing with the experience of its growth_

_Reproducing the accumulated years_

_Excelling every manufacturing process_

Moments after uttering two simple, yet incredibly powerful words, Shirō's hands curled around the hilt of a sword he had only seen in the dreams of Arturia Pendragon until he first projected it himself in order to defeat Berserker. Caliburn, the sword of selection. He marveled at both the blade itself as well as the fact that all of his memories were legitimate.

It was larger than Excalibur and much more ornate. However, it was still a viable weapon when put in the right hands. He could feel the energy residing within the blade. He could tell that in the right hands, Caliburn would be everything the legends said. He banished the blade, sending it back to his Unlimited Blade Works. For a moment, he felt empty, not having a blade in his hands. A lingering effect from his time under a contract with the World. He was so used to having a weapon of some sort that not having one felt wrong.

Shirō's eyes widened, recalling what he had gone through to get to where he was. The blade. The one he and Merlin made. He thought about calling it out, but stopped at the last minute. There was no telling what the blade would be or what it would do. If he somehow damaged his home, there would be a lot of questions, especially from..

Sakura.

Shirō realized that going back in time meant that Sakura would be alive. He had a second chance to save her as well.

No. Not just her.

Everyone.

As he got dressed, he chided himself for forgetting. This wasn't only about him. This was about everyone. _"She wouldn't want me to forsake others just to save her."_

He stopped. What would she say? Would she remember? If not, would she believe him if he told her the truth? Would she be willing to let him destroy the Grail? What would he do to convince her? What could he do?

Shirō was pulled from his thoughts after a knock on the door was heard. He finished getting dressed and went to answer it. He opened the door and for the second time he was put onto an emotional roller-coaster. Sakura was there, like she was every morning before the war.

"Good morning, Senpai."

* * *

It was beyond jarring to sit at the table and eat breakfast with Sakura again. The last time he had seen her, well, _one_ of the last times he had seen her, she was completely different. She was twisted into a dark, vile thing that had no regard for the life of others. He wouldn't let that happen again. He would kill Zouken before he can do any more damage to Sakura.

"Is something wrong with the food, Senpai?" Sakura's question and worried glance roused him from his thoughts.

He looked down to his plate, realizing that he hadn't touched it. "No, I guess I'm just not hungry right now."

Shirō realized that his answer disappointed Sakura by her demeanor, but he truly didn't feel hungry. He passed it off as a side-effect from being hurled through time like he was. Try as he might, he couldn't get Merlin's words of warning out of his head. His warning that going back with the intention of freeing Merlin would bring down Morgan le Fay's ire upon him. He hoped that she would hold off until the end of the Grail War, but he knew to expect anything regardless.

He could feel Sakura's worried glances that she'd take every few moments. He didn't know what to say to assuage her fears, but he realized something about her. On her hand were remnants of three Command Seals. That meant she had already given up Rider to Shinji, even if Rider would still regard Sakura as her 'true master'

"Sakura, what happened to your hand?" Her head shot up with a deer-in-headlights look. A light blush graced her face when Shirō picked up her hand and examined it.

"I-It's nothing, Senpai. I was just clumsy when cleaning is all."

Shirō already knew the truth, but pressed anyways. "Does Shinji have anything to do with this?"

She was quick to shake her head. Too quick. "N-No. It was just an accident."

He let go of her hand after a few more seconds. She brought it close to her chest and looked downward. Shirō sighed inwardly. Shinji was yet another person he'd have to deal with. He questioned whether he was worth saving, or if he even could be saved. He glanced at the clock and noticed that they were going to be late.

"Uh-oh."

* * *

Shirō had little time to reminisce as he and Sakura hurried to school. As they approached the school grounds, they were stopped by none other than Sakura's brother; Shinji. He was storming towards them with an angry look on his face.

In the back of his mind, Shirō felt the urge to hurt him. It went as quickly as it came, but the lingering feeling remained.

"Sakura!" Shinji yelled. "You're late! Again!" He came to a stop in front of them, completely ignoring Shirō's presence as well as the barely contained rage just beneath the surface of Shirō's expression.

"Nii-san," Sakura started, trying to apologize for being late, even though she truly had no need to do so.

"This is the third time this week you've skipped out on your duties for the Archery Club!" He yelled

Sakura curled inwards, clearly made miserable by Shinji's incessant raging. "I was-"

Shinji cut her off "Helping Shirō, is that it? That doesn't give you the right to neglect your duties without my permission!" His hand raised, as if to strike her. Shirō knew he would if he didn't stop it. After all, it had happened before.

However, he didn't need to. Instead, his wrist was caught in an incredibly firm grasp by none other than Rin Tohsaka, who had done so from behind him. Shinji recoiled and spun, nearly falling over himself in the process. "Tohsaka?! Don't get involved in others business!"

Rin was not like Shirō, who could resist making a bad situation worse. She was smarter than him and much more experienced in various types of Magecraft, but her social skills were less than stellar. However, she was good at one aspect of social interaction: Shifting blame and guilt.

"Shinji, you berating your sister in front of one of your classmates for being late is only making them and yourself more late for class." She said in the matter-of-fact kind of way she was so well known for.

Shirō's reaction to seeing Rin again was much like it was when he saw Sakura. The strongest memory of the last time he saw her was that of her being impaled by Gilgamesh after Archer was done-in. It was a gruesome and heartbreaking sight. They had been friends that time around. Seeing her alive and well again was almost too much to handle. He reminded himself that hadn't happened yet, and if he had any power over Fate, he wouldn't allow it to get that far.

"W-Well fine. But stop being late, Sakura! And Emiya, stop making her do things when she has better things to do!" Shinji yelled, heading back into the main building at a quick pace.

Shirō turned to thank Rin, but by the time he did she was already heading inside herself. _"I guess some things are just hardwired."_

* * *

Shinji hadn't asked Shirō to clean the dojo, but he did so anyways. He had to stick to the script for the time being. After he was certain of himself and where he and Arturia stood, then he'd be more willing to make big changes. Until then, he'd have to take a more measured approach to things.

He'd seen Kuzuki, his ever-calm demeanor still the same. As he cleaned the dojo and awaited the battle between Lancer and Archer, he wondered about the best way to deal with Caster and her master. He didn't want to kill Kuzuki-Sensei. He had reformed himself after living a terrible life, and his only reason for relapsing was Caster and the war.

He was an incredibly dangerous man, able to go toe-to-toe with Shirō. Well, past-Shirō, that is. He was more than confident in his ability to beat the man as he was now, but he didn't want to have to come to that. He really didn't even want to kill Caster if she hadn't yet begun absorbing souls. If possible, Shirō preferred to refrain from killing. He'd done enough of that under his Contract.

Caster wouldn't be so easily persuaded, however. She truly wanted the Grail. She believed in its power to grant wishes. He didn't fault her for that, just her methods for obtaining the Grail. He knew who she was and why she wanted the Grail. He knew of her betrayal of her first master, and how she freed many children who he planned to sacrifice. Her entire existence in life was that of betrayal, constantly being stepped on and treated like less than a human being. Spited and called a Witch. At the end of her life, she succumbed to darkness and was tainted by evil.

He understood her desire to purify herself of the evil that held her so firmly. He knew that her method of calling out the Grail's power would be possible, but if she were to do so, he wouldn't be able to destroy the Greater Grail. He wouldn't be able to save Arturia. To him, that was unacceptable.

Shirō's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of battle. It was time.

He eased out of the dojo quietly to approach the spot he always found Archer and Lancer. There, he saw them. Just like last time. And, just like last time, Lancer was quick to notice him. The second the Cú Chulainn's red eyes met his, Shirō ran. He hoped to make it home without having Rin stumble upon him supposedly bleeding out. He didn't want to get stabbed again.

He a pumped a small amount of Prana into his legs, reinforcing them so he could run faster. A trick he had learned under his Contract. He could reinforce objects as well as his body. There were drawbacks, of course, but in a time of need it worked better than nothing.

As Shirō rounded a corner within the school, he came across something he had never seen for himself before and stopped dead in his tracks. There was a person standing in front of him, clad in armor reminiscent to that of Arturia's, holding a spear. It wasn't the Child of Light, however.

This person had wisps of dark energy lashing off of them. It encased them and gave them a menacing look. A helmet blocked Shirō's view of the person's face, but did nothing to hide two red, glowing eyes. Shirō had never personally seen something like this before. But, he had seen it in his dreams. Dreams of Arturia's past. She fought someone who looked similar to this. Lancelot.

Before Shirō could turn to run the other way, before he could even think as to why this _thing_ was here, the armored specter was in front of him and he had a cold feeling in his stomach. He looked downwards to see a spear sticking out of it, the specter's hand on the other end of it. Shirō didn't scream. He didn't cry out. He simply fell to the floor, his body sliding off of the spear which made a sickening sound.

He heard quick footsteps and tried to move his head, but it wouldn't budge. All he could see was the feet of the specter, the interloper who shouldn't be there. Then, he heard a voice. Lancer's.

"Hey!"

The specter vanished into thin air, just before Lancer's spear could hit it. "Damn.."

Shirō saw Lancer's feet turn towards him and winced in pain as the Servant's feet roughly pushed him onto his back.

"Looks like someone got to you before I could. Sorry kid, but your luck is pretty terrible." Lancer said, looking down at Shirō. "He severed the majority of your spinal cord. Even if you did live, you won't live a happy life."

So that's why he couldn't move, Shirō thought. Avalon could heal worse, but it took time.

"Archer!"

Suddenly, Lancer was forced to retreat, with Archer viciously attacking with his twin signature blades and Rin launching several of her **Gandr** shots at him.

"Go drive him off! I have to take care of Emiya." She said.

Shirō couldn't believe this was happening. It shouldn't have happened. He should have just gone home and awaited Arturia's summoning. Shirō saw Archer regard him with a distasteful look before running off after Lancer, followed by Rin approaching him with a worried look on her face.

"Listen, you've walked into a situation way above your head, Emiya. I'm gonna take care of you now, but only because of what it would do to Sakura if you died here." Rin said, taking out a familiar looking gem. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't necessary, that he'd heal on his own, but he couldn't. He couldn't even shake his head. All he could do is lie there.

* * *

"Once you're able to move, you should get home." Rin said, standing up and wiping the blood on her hands onto her skirt. Without so much as a goodbye, she took off. Presumably to chase after Lancer.

Shirō waited for a few moments before rising to his feet. He didn't have the heart to tell her that her gem stopped being needed halfway through the process. That would have raised too many questions and he didn't have time to answer them all, nor did he wish to. He did heed her advice to get home, though. Just as he always did. Arturia would be arriving soon and he had to be there for that. As he made his way home, Shirō thought about what he would do and say. How to react. How much truth to reveal to Arturia.

He could feel himself being watched. Clearly, things were different this time around. He just didn't know how different, or how much of an impact it would have. He wondered if that weird specter was following him, or if it was someone else. As he approached the gates to his home, he saw Lancer approaching him at a slow speed.

"I'm not sure how you're up and walking, but you should have stayed down." He said, brandishing his red spear. "I would have been fine letting you live, but my master doesn't want anyone unnecessary getting involved."

Behind him, a blue glow was coming from the top windows of the Emiya workshop, which poked over the walls of the compound. Lancer didn't notice, but Shirō did. He hoped that Arturia would arrive before Lancer would get serious about killing him. As he thought that, he realized that sticking to the script is what got him into this exact same mess as before.

This time, it would be different. As Lancer approached, Shirō uttered two words under his breath.

**" _Trace, on"_**

_Judging the concept of creation_

_Hypothesizing the basic structure_

_Duplicating the composition material_

_Imitating the skill of its making_

_Sympathizing with the experience of its growth_

_Reproducing the accumulated years_

_Excelling every manufacturing process_

"Sorry kid. Nothing personal." Lancer said, pulling back his spear arm, aiming for Shirō's heart. A strike that would have been blocked by what Shirō was planning on projecting. Would have.

Instead, his barbed spear was blocked by an invisible force, surrounded by swirling air.

Lancer jumped backwards, startled by this sudden appearance.

* * *

"I am Servant Saber." A strong voice rang out "Upon your summoning, I have come forth."

Shirō's golden-brown eyes met twin emerald ones that were framed by golden hair. Eyes he once thought he'd never see again. They were beautiful. _She_ was beautiful.

"I ask of you: Are you my Master?"

Four simple words made to form a question. A question that was as complicated as it was simple. One that, upon being answered, would change Shirō's life forever. Again.

"I am." He said, his resolve hardening. He could swear he saw the hint of a smile on her face.

She looked to his hand for confirmation, though she didn't truly need to. She already knew. She could feel the connection between them. More than that, she knew that there could be no other person to take the mantle. It had to be Shirō. It could only be him.

"Yes, you summoned me. As Saber, I answered your call. My sword will be at your side from here on out. From now on, whatever Fate you choose shall be mine as well. The accord between us has been struck."

She turned then, setting her eyes upon Lancer. "I will take care of him." She said. She burst forward with tremendous speed, catching Lancer off-guard.

Shirō watched as he witnessed Arturia battle the Child of Light. He knew she had the upper hand, but he also knew that she wasn't aware of Lancer's Noble Phantasm last time. He followed their battle down the empty street, calling out to his Servant "Be careful! His spear is dangerous!"

Arturia already knew that. The Cú Chulainn's _Gáe Bolg_ was a powerful weapon, capable of always hitting it's target. A weapon that was linked to Fate itself. As she battled Lancer, she was aware she'd have to force him to retreat or defeat him quickly. Otherwise, Shirō might get involved. She wouldn't let him get hurt again for her sake.

"Saber.. That's a sword you're using, right?" Lancer asked, a small grin on his face.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe it's a bow, or an axe. It doesn't matter what it is, because I'll end this right now."

Lancer's laugh met her ears. "Ha! You, defeat me? That's a good joke, Saber!" He yelled, thrusting his spear forward, intent on hurting her. She parried the strike and cut him across his chest. Not a deep wound, but one that was telling of their difference in skill.

"A joke, was it?" Saber started "Perhaps the true joke is your skill with your weapon, Lancer. You've yet to come close to hitting me. That's a disgrace to your class."

Lancer's anger got the better of him. "You want me to hit you? Fine!"

Red energy began billowing out of his spear's tip, signaling the coming activation of his Noble Phantasm. He jumped backwards and raised his spear, positioning it to throw.

**" _GÂE!"_** Lancer's cursed spear glowed a vibrant red, poised to strike Arturia.

Arturia's desire to protect Shirō meant that she couldn't allow Lancer to finish calling upon his Noble Phantasm, otherwise Shirō would get in between her and the spear. Her plan was to counter his Noble Phantasm with her own. If Lancer were killed, his Noble Phantasm would be rendered innate, even well beyond it's apex of activation. That was her theory, anyways.

However, such action wasn't necessary, as Lancer was forced to halt his Noble Phantasm's activation and dodge a particularly powerful **Gandr** shot from the newest arrival on the scene. Rin Tohsaka, Shirō's classmate and master of Archer.

The red-eyed man jumped backwards and moved into a defensive stance. Archer and her pesky master were back and to his left, and Saber and her incompetent master were in front of him. Even with all his bravado, he didn't like his odds. So, he chose to retreat.

Seeing this, Arturia called out, as she did last time. "Running away, Lancer?"

Lancer sighed. "My Master ordered me to observe. He didn't want me to fight anyone quite yet, and now he's calling me back. You're welcome to chase after me, but if you do I'll have to target that little Master of yours!" He yelled, speeding away from the scene.

He was gone.

Arturia prepared to engage Archer. Though she had no desire nor intention of harming Rin, Archer was a threat to Shirō. He was a future self of her Master, who wanted to kill the person known as Shirō Emiya so that he might be relieved of his Contract with the World. He would stop at nothing to see it through, going so far as to betray Rin.

She would not allow it to get that far. Not again. Not now when she knew his true intentions.

Before she could move to engage Archer, a strong hand clamped down upon her shoulder. She looked over and saw Shirō. He wasn't looking at her, instead focusing on Archer and Rin, but his eyes held fire that didn't exist last time until much later into the war. The strength of his grip was also an anomaly.

"Hello, Rin" Shirō said, addressing his classmate.

Rin came into view, almost fading into existence the way she came from the darkness into the light of the streetlight. "Out of everyone, it just had to be you. And here I am, looking like a fool for healing an enemy."

Shirō shrugged. "Technically I wasn't a Master until I got home."

Rin sighed, her shoulders drooping. "I thought I knew every Magus within the city. I suppose you're not quite as in over your head as I said, huh Emiya?"

Shirō released his grip on Arturia, trusting her not to attack unprovoked. "Oh no, I'm still in way over my head. More than you know, Rin."

Arturia found it curious how Shirō addressed Rin with familiarity, where as she treated him like a stranger. Just how much was different? What was going on? What did Merlin get her into this time?

"You know this girl, Sh-Master?" Arturia stumbled on her words. Shirō hadn't yet asked her to call him by his name. Her stumble was something the old Shirō wouldn't have caught.

This Shirō, the one with the memories of several timelines did catch it, though. He made a mental note and filed it away for later. "Pretty much everyone at our school knows _of_ her. She's something of a celebrity at school. I wouldn't say I know her personally."

_'Not yet, anyways'_

Rin was caught off guard by Shirō's comment. She thought they were equally unaware of each other. At least, that's how it would seem from the outside. She was more aware of Shirō than she was willing to let on. He was the reason Sakura always seemed happy, and that was why she kept tabs on him discreetly and even admired that about him.

"A-Anyways, does that mean you're unaware of what all is going on here?" Rin asked, changing the subject. Archer stood by her, his twin blades brandished. She could tell he didn't want to talk. He wanted to fight.

Shirō scratched his head, trying to look genuinely confused. "I know a little. Not as much as I'd like, really. Would you be willing to explain it to me?"

Rin gawked at his request. Clearly, he didn't understand they were supposed to be enemies. However, if she complied she might be able to get him to hand over Saber, the servant she originally wanted. With two servants, she'd practically be guaranteed to win the war.

"Can we sit down somewhere?"

* * *

Shirō's living room was filled with tension. Very, very thick tension. It was exuded mostly by the two servants sitting there. It was practically a staring competition, and neither one planned on blinking.

Arturia had tried to protest that he let them in their- his home. Her main objection was that of Archer. She didn't mind Rin being allowed inside. Shirō had rebutted her argument by saying that he had complete confidence in her ability and strength should Archer attack.

On the table were four cups of tea. Only two had been touched. Shirō and Rin tried to ignore it for the time being. "So, you know projection and reinforcement, but nothing else?" Rin asked, completely flabbergasted as to how Shirō managed to summon Saber instead of her.

"Yeah. Dad didn't really go into anything else, so I'm mostly self-taught."

That was a lie, of course. Shirō knew quite a bit more this time around, but he couldn't allow Archer to know that. Even letting him in on the fact that he knew Projection was dangerous, but it was important to his story that he get that out in the open. That way, there would be less questions when he finally projected something.

"So two of the most useless magics, and you still managed to summon Saber instead of me. Great." She muttered into her tea, which happened to be her favorite. How Shirō knew what that was, she didn't know.

Shirō shrugged off her comments. "Anyways, I get that it's a war for the Holy Grail. Servants fight each other and the last one standing gets to make a wish along with their Master. I understand the Command Seals and what they do. What I don't understand is why the Grail needs six people to die for it to grant two wishes."

"They're not people, Emiya. They're Heroic Spirits, who all have a desire of some sort that requires the Grail. The Grail isn't some magical wish-granter, either. It needs the magical energy of six other servants to power it to make those two wishes."

Shirō looked to Arturia with a meaningful glance. "I think they're people enough. But why does the Grail require them to die? Why can't they just work together?"

Shirō's comment about them being people was caught by Arturia. Inwardly, she smiled, happy to know that part of her Master hadn't changed one bit.

"Because that's not how it works, Emiya." Rin said, as if that's the end of that line of questioning. In truth, the mysteries of the Grail were unknown to her, but she didn't want him to know that.

"Why not? If it requires death and is so powerful, then surely it's also dangerous."

She didn't know how to answer him. She did know someone who would, however. "I know who can answer your questions better than me. We should go see him anyways, so you can ask him when we get there." She stood up, preparing to leave.

Shirō knew who she was referring to. "Who are we going to see?"

"The man who oversees the war. Kirei Kotomine."

* * *

They were just outside of the church when Arturia tugged on Shirō's sleeve, causing him to stop. He knew what came next, of course. She hated Kirei as much as he did. Perhaps more, thanks to their encounter in the previous Holy Grail War.

"Sh- Master, I think it best that I stay out here. The Church is protected, so no harm will be allowed to befall you while on it's grounds." Arturia said, once again stumbling over her words. She hoped that Shirō hadn't caught it. He did.

Shirō gave her a nod. "Saber, I'd appreciate it if you would call me Shirō. Being called 'Master' just doesn't suit me."

For the first time in what felt like forever, he saw her smile again. "Very well.. Shirō."

Shirō and Rin entered the Church together, Archer having taken spirit form at the insistence of his Master. She had done so after a third attempt at getting Rin to dishonorably dispose of Shirō before allowing him to grow as a Master.

"So, what is this Kirei like, Rin?" Shirō asked, looking around the Church. Even now he could feel the _wrongness_ of it. He could tell that this Church hadn't been able to be considered sacred for a long, long time.

"He's a Magus," Rin started "He's very skilled, but also a pain in the ass to have as a Guardian and Teacher."

"Is that allowed, to have a Magus overseeing the war, who might have a personal interest in obtaining the Grail?" Shirō asked.

Rin shrugged. "I don't make the rules, but I don't agree with them either. If it were up to me, I'd prefer not to have anything to do with the man."

Kirei Kotomine, the man in question, emerged from the dark recesses of the Church. "How cold of you, Rin." He said, a small smirk on his face. Shirō hated that smirk. So did Rin. "What brings you here?"

Rin gestured to her classmate "I've brought the last Master here. He's a Magus, but only barely. He is so uninformed of the Grail War that I thought it best to bring him to you, since he kept asking questions."

Kirei observed Shirō, sizing him up. "What is your name, boy?" He asked in a leveled tone.

Shirō had to force himself to answer the question, rather than bringing Kirei into his Unlimited Blade Works and ending him right then and there. After what he had done to Rin a previous time, he couldn't stand the sight of the man. "Shirō. Emiya Shirō,"

Kirei's smirk turned into a full-blown smile. It was not a pleasant one. "Well, Emiya, you said you have questions, but first I must confirm that you are Saber's Master. Please, show me your Command Seals."

Shirō clenched his hand into a fist and raised it for Kirei to see. On the back of his hand were the three Command Seals that every Master received when summoning a Servant.

"Yes, you are indeed Saber's Master. Now, what questions did you have, my son?" The Fake priest asked.

Shirō put his hands in his pockets to avoid punching the man. "Well, my dad told me a lot about the Grail War, but he never told me why the Servants and Masters can't just work together."

Kirei scoffed, "A naive question. The Grail demands the energy of six Servants to power it. That energy is released into the Grail when a Servant dies or runs out of Mana. Without it, a wish cannot be made."

"So the Grail just needs energy? What if the Servants willingly supplied it?" Shirō pressed

Kirei's expression darkened. "Even if it were possible, the Grail is only capable of granting two wishes, one for the Servant who obtains it, and one for that Servant's Master. Any wish can be made. Any question can be answered. You can do anything or be anything. In fact, the Grail is powerful enough to send people back in time for a fresh start."

Shirō's eyes widened. Did Kotomine know something about him? Did he know Arturia's wish? Or was he just positing a scenario?

"So you see why Masters and Servants fight over the Grail, yes? They all want the Grail for some reason or another. They don't want to share."

"I don't want the Grail. There aren't any wishes I have that I can't grant myself through working towards them. I just don't want to see any needless bloodshed." Shirō said.

Kirei, who had turned away from him, swiveled on his heel back towards him. "The only way to rid yourself of those marks on your hand is to participate, boy. Otherwise, they put a target on your back for all others who want the Grail to see. They would sooner kill you and forcibly take the Seals from your dead body than overlook the fact that you're a noncombatant. You can only be protected by the Church once your Command Seals are gone." Kirei exclaimed, clearly not happy with Shirō's position.

Shirō shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. I'll participate, but only to prevent needless killing."

The fake priest straightened, smoothing his clothes. "Is that all, Emiya?"

Rin started to say something, but Shirō cut her off. "Just one more question. What's to stop the more violent Masters from destroying the Church and killing all the former Masters inside?"

Kirei's smirk changed into an intense frown. "If a Master were to attack the Church, the full weight of the Mage's Association would come down on them. They would be hunted to the ends of the Earth and killed."

"I see," Shirō said. He ignored Rin's stare. He knew she would bring up the fact that Arturia couldn't take Spirit form, but he didn't want Kotomine knowing any more than he already did. "That's all the questions I have. I'll get out of your hair."

"Very well," Kirei said "All Masters and Servants are accounted for. I now declare the official start of the Fifth Holy Grail War!"

Rin nodded. "Well alright, let's go, Emiya."

Shirō didn't bother looking back.

* * *

As they walked together, Shirō kept an eye out for the massive, hulking form of Berserker. Ilya would be coming after them soon. "After tonight we're enemies, Emiya" Rin said. "You should take some time off School, since Saber can't take Spirit form"

"Why do we have to be enemies, Rin? You already heard that I don't want the Grail." Shirō said. He hoped that Arturia would understand this time around, like she did last time.

Rin looked at Shirō like he had grown a second head. "Even if you don't, I'm sure Saber wants the Grail."

They looked to Saber, who was diligently standing next to Shirō to protect him from any possible attacks. Arturia could feel their eyes on her and decided to go along with Shirō this time around. "I swore an oath. If my Master does not desire the Grail, then neither do I." Arturia said, discreetly on the lookout for Berserker. She couldn't fathom how someone so large could hide so easily.

Shirō was surprised by Arturia's answer. Every other time he had told her he wasn't interested in the Grail, she argued with him on it until she finally agreed with him. This, combined with her previous stumbles over her own words was strange.

Rin sighed. "Even if that's the case, you heard Kirei. It's foolish to overlook another Master." She said. From her tone, Shirō could tell she didn't _want_ to be Shirō's enemy.

"So would it be pointless to suggest that we work together? I really don't want to fight a classmate."

Before Rin could answer, they came to a sudden stop. Out of the darkness came a massive form, standing beside a small girl.

"Hello, Onii-chan." Her voice was innocent and sweet sounding, but her eyes and vicious grin were telling that she was anything but innocent. Shirō knew that under her anger and pride was a girl who was just lonely.

Archer appeared out of thin air and Rin moved behind him smartly. Likewise, Arturia positioned herself in front of Shirō. "That thing is dangerous, Shirō." Rin said. For a second Shirō thought she might be talking about Ilya, and she would have been right. She might not look it, but she was just as dangerous, if not more so than any normal Magus.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Tohsaka Rin. But this will be the last time we see each other." Ilya said. It was less of a threat and more of a statement of fact. "My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern. You know what that means, right?"

Rin took another step backwards "Von Einzbern?"

"That's right! But like I said, it doesn't matter who you are. You and those two servants will be dead soon anyways" It was strange to hear a girl her size with her voice saying something so casually. "Go get them, Berserker!"

The monster next to Ilya leapt towards them, sailing through the air like a boulder. He roared as he did so, causing deep vibrations within everyone present. He landed directly in front of Archer and Arturia with a resounding boom, cracking the concrete beneath him.

"Shirō, stay away from him!" Arturia yelled. Without a second thought, she burst forward, intent on preventing Shirō from getting hurt a second time around.

"Archer, support Saber!" Rin called. She turned to Shirō next as Archer sprang into action. "Emiya, we need to take care of that thing's Master. Otherwise, there's a good chance Saber and Archer will lose."

Shirō shook his head. "She's just a little girl, Rin. I told you that I had no intention of causing needless harm."

Rin grabbed his shoulders and shook him as hard as she could. In the back of her mind, she found it odd that Shirō looked mostly nonathletic and yet she was barely able to budge him. "She's trying to kill us, Emiya! We can't afford for you to have a soft heart right now!"

Berserker's gigantic, malformed sword clanged loudly against Arturia's Excalibur with so much force it pushed her back even though it didn't break her guard. Archer moved to slash at the giant only to be punched by the creature's humongous fist, sending Archer flying backwards at an incredible speed, sailing right past Shirō and Rin.

"Get them, Berserker! Get them and kill them!" Ilya gleefully cheered.

Shirō's brain was locked up. He didn't know what to do. Should he expose his skills? If so, what should he do? Project Caliburn like the times before? Maybe something from the Gate of Babylon?

As he saw Arturia take a solid blow from Berserker and her blood spill onto the pavement, the mental roadblock was cleared. He knew what to do. It was the only way to beat Berserker. It was part of the reason he was so confident that he could save Arturia. His own ideals, hopes, and dreams, his own courage. They would protect Arturia. They would allow him to see that radiant smile once again.

"Rin, I need you to get out of here. Take Archer and go." Shirō said in a low, serious voice.

Rin reeled "What?! Saber doesn't stand a chance alone against that thing! You'll die!" Rin exclaimed. She froze when Shirō's gaze fell upon her. It was unlike anything she had seen before. His eyes held more determination and fire than ever, and he looked completely confident.

"She won't be alone. You said it yourself. Tomorrow, we're enemies. I can't reveal my secrets to an enemy." Shirō said. This wasn't how he wanted it to go, but this was how it had to be.

Rin's eyes watered, but she forced the tears away. "Fine! But if you survive this, we're having a serious talk later!"

Shirō smirked. "Talk? With the enemy?"

"You know I don't want us to be enemies, Emiya," Rin said. "Archer! We're leaving. Emiya and Saber are going to cover our escape!"

Archer's bloodied head rose and his eyes widened. They were leaving? Emiya, the incompetent Magus and his Servant were going to cover their escape? Without him, they'd both be killed. He thought about protesting, but he was getting what he wanted. Emiya Shirō would die. Archer nodded, following Rin in a quick escape.

"You think Berserker is going to let you get away?" Ilya asked. Following her unspoken command, Berserker moved to engage, but was kept occupied by Arturia.

Arturia couldn't believe what was happening. Without Archer and Rin there, the chances of them forcing Ilya and her Servant leave were slim. She worried that Shirō wasn't thinking clearly, or that he was doing what he always did by putting everyone, even potential enemies before himself.

As she fought Berserker, panic rose within her. Shirō could die. He could die. Emiya Shirō wasn't a Heroic Spirit. If he died, he was really dead. She couldn't allow that to happen. The only possible way would be to get Ilya to leave would be to use her Noble Phantasm.

Golden magical energy swirled around her. She pulled her blade back and prepared to strike. **"EX-"**

**" _Time Alter – double accel"_**

Only to be stopped by Shirō jumping in between her and Berserker. She didn't hear his quietly spoken chant. Something glowing was in his hand, but she didn't notice that, either. All she saw was Shirō in the way of her and Berserker, with the Greek legend's sword about to come crashing down on him.

"Shirō! No!" She screamed.

Shirō's perception of time was changed. Berserker's blade was moving, but at a slow walk speed. That gave him just enough time to bring forth his own blade. In the back of his mind, he hoped that he would be able to explain it to Arturia. As he reached inwards for the blade, its name became known to him, as did everything about it, down to the smallest detail.

Filled with hope and courage, Shirō called it's name, bringing it to bear for the first time. **"ARCURANT!"**

The vision of those present was blinded by a brillaint flash of gold. Momentarily, Arturia thought she might have heard wrong and this was Excalibur's doing, or perhaps Shirō had projected Caliburn again. As her vision returned, she saw the source of the flash and knew that it was most definitely not Excalibur, nor Caliburn.

Shirō was holding a blade she had never seen before, yet seemed intensely familiar. It was slightly larger than Caliburn was, which was slightly larger still than Excalibur. The blade was a shining silver, which kept a straight profile until the near-end towards the guard, where it beveled outwards slightly. The flat of the blade had fairy runes etched into it that glowed the same golden color she had just been blinded by, starting near the guard and going a third of the way up the blade.

The guard was a dark steel color cross-guard with three-way balled tips on the end of each side. Her enhanced vision allowed her to see more runes etched on each little balled tip. The hilt of the blade was wrapped in a thin chain, also a dark steel color. It was long enough to allow two hands, but the blade seemed light enough that Shirō didn't feel it necessary to do so.

Finally, the pommel of the weapon had an emerald jewel embedded into it, encased by the same dark steel as the guard and hilt in such a way that showed the emerald off but kept it secure. All-in-all, it was an incredibly brilliant weapon that she felt like she was intimately familiar with, but had never seen before in her life.

"F-four lives? Onii-chan took Four of Berserker's lives?!" Ilya screamed, rousing Arturia with her admiration of the Shirō's blade. Her voice was filled with fear and confusion. Clearly, she hadn't anticipated such a thing happening. Neither did Arturia.

"Shirō.." Arturia whispered, awestruck but also just as confused as Ilya.

Shirō was panting, but he kept his stance firm, the tip of his blade pointed towards the enemy.

Ilya was quick to regain herself. She spun on her heel and started walking back the way she came. "Let's go, Berserker! I'm hungry!"

Berserker obediently followed, looking no worse for wear even though Shirō had supposedly taken away four of the giant's lives.

Just after they left his cone of vision, Shirō fell to one knee, using the blade to keep himself from falling flat on his face. Double Accel was incredibly taxing on his body, and bringing his blade forth didn't help with that. Arturia was quick to reach him, kneeling and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Shirō," She repeated, a worried tone to her voice. One that didn't suit her.

Shirō could feel his body losing function and his consciousness fading. "Arturia," He whispered, not able to speak any louder. He didn't realize he used her name, instead of calling her 'Saber' "Home. Get us home."

* * *

Arturia was worried. Worried, suspicious, and confused. Merlin had indeed sent her back, but he had done something else. Something he didn't tell her about. Shirō was different. He was more confident, knew more than he did before, and he was competent.

Her emerald eyes gazed beyond his sleeping form, settling on the blade beside him. _That_ was certainly different. It was unlike anything she had seen before, but at the same time she felt like she had once held that blade. It spoke to her on a deep, personal level that very few were privy to. Even with Shirō asleep, she could feel the hum of energy radiating from the blade.

She wanted to ask him about it, but didn't know how without revealing the fact that she had traveled backwards through time. She had so many questions that demanded answers.

Arturia was also aware that they were being watched when she sped back to their- Shirō's home. Someone or something was watching them. It definitely wasn't friendly, either. Even now she could recall the sinister feeling she had gotten.

Another difference was that the link between her and Shirō was nowhere near as bad as it was last time. In fact, it was perfect. She had lied to Rin when she asked if she could take Spirit form. She could, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to leave Shirō's side. Not for a second.

Without realizing what she was doing, Arturia reached down to brush aside a strand of Shirō's hair that was blocking his face. The second she came in contact with his skin, her mind was filled with images. Memories that weren't hers.

* * *

Shirō sat on a grassy hillside, observing the sunrise. He was covered in blood, but the wounds that caused them had long since been healed thanks to Avalon. Sitting beside him, leaning against him, was Arturia. She was also bloody, but her wounds, like Shirō's, had healed. The sun had just started appearing on the horizon, lighting up the sky and bringing warmth.

They had done it. They won. Somehow, they had managed to destroy the Grail without losing anyone in the process. Rin was safe and sound. Sakura was unharmed and purged of the Crest Worms that had infested her for so long. Ilya was been saved from Gilgamesh and had since taken on the role of Shirō's sister. Yes, they did it all without losing anyone.

Anyone but each other, that is. Arturia's skin was pale and her breathing was shallow. She was almost completely out of Mana, and there was no way to replenish her. She would have been cold if it weren't for Shirō's arm around her, holding her tight against him. They had saved everyone except each other.

No, that's not quite right. Shirō saved her. She had no more doubts about her past. She was able to move on, and that meant she wouldn't return to a nightmare when she vanished. She would be sent to Avalon. There, she'd wait. For Shirō.

She hadn't been able to save Shirō. After discovering Archer's identity, she had tried to steer him from that path, but had been mostly unsuccessful. Fate demanded he become Archer. Shirō promised that he'd try to avoid it, that he'd find a way to Avalon to be with her again, but they both knew the chances of that happening were slim to none.

"Shirō," She said, tilting her head upwards. He tilted down and their eyes met, their faces almost touching. "Will.. Will you say _it_? All of it?" Her voice was a whisper, something that could easily get lost in the wind despite their closeness, but Shirō heard it plain as day. He could always hear her.

He had said it before. Both parts. Just never together. Not on purpose, just by coincidence. He knew what they meant to her. In her role as King, she had never heard those words uttered. Not together. Not the way Shirō said them. Four words. One name. Shirō was afraid to say it, but only because he knew that when he did, she would still have to leave. However, he was Emiya Shirō, and he always put others first. Especially her.

"I love you, Arturia."

For one last time, he saw her smile. A smile that was as bright as the sun. A smile that wasn't besmirched by the tears streaming down her face.

"I love you, Shirō." Arturia said, speaking her last words to him.

And then she was gone.

And he was alone.

Again.


	3. Revelation

_"Time will leave me, I don't mind - It can leave us both behind"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 2: Revelation**

There wasn't anything he could do. Not him, and not anyone else. Shirō knew that. Still, he desperately tried to reach out to her. He tried to reason with her, to speak to the part of her that he believed to be trapped behind a wall of apathy. He felt that behind it all, underneath the corruption, was the old Arturia.

She had been corrupted by Angra Mainyu. Her entire personality was different. To him, she felt hollow. Empty. Her once brilliant green eyes had turned an ominous yellow, ones that lacked the fire and determination the former held. Even her blade, Excalibur, had been corrupted by evil, turning to black and red. Everything about her was wrong. He knew that it wasn't meant to be that way.

The only reason he felt that there was still a bit of the old Arturia left inside was the fact that she _wanted_ him to fight her. She _wanted_ him to finish her off when he had the upper hand. It was as if she were asking to be set free. Something he simply couldn't do. He couldn't bring himself to kill her. No matter what wounds she inflicted upon him, no matter how much damage she caused, he couldn't stand the idea of killing her. He could barely stomach the idea of hurting her.

She was injured, now. Badly. He put too much behind his last attack and it nearly killed her. However, unless he finished her off, she would simply regenerate. He couldn't do that, though. He walked forward, approaching Saber's still form which laid upon the cold ground.

"You have won, Shirō. All that is left is to finish it" She said, her voice cold and lacking any kind of real emotion. There wasn't even any pain evident within it.

He dropped to his knees next to her, looking at her broken form. He couldn't believe what he had done. "Well? If you don't hurry, my body will regenerate, and I will kill you" She said with the kind of certainty that left no room for debate.

"No." Shirō said. "No more. We can stop this here, Arturia. This doesn't have to end in death."

Her head turned to face him and her eyes met his. "Do not call me by that name. I left that behind along with the foolish ideals of any battle ending in anything but death."

Her body had begun mending itself. It was slow, but it was more than evident. Time was running out.

"Why?" Shirō asked, his voice high and stressed "Why do one of us have to die? Why can't you just stop? You know this isn't how it should be. You know this is wrong."

For a moment, Shirō thought he saw a flicker of the old Arturia within her eyes, but it went as quickly as it came. She looked away from him, staring back up at the ceiling. "There is no right or wrong. You are my enemy, and I am yours. If you do not kill me, I will kill you, and you will be just like every other enemy I've come across."

"Is that it? Just another enemy? That's all I am to you?"

"That is all that matters" She replied. Her wounds had stopped bleeding and the muscles were being mended. After that, her bones would heal, and then she would attack.

Shirō fell onto his back, every ounce of strength in his body sapped from him. There was no hope left. He couldn't save her, and he couldn't kill her.

Her next words sparked a very tiny amount of hope, but it wasn't enough to get him to move. "Why do you not finish me? Why do you insist this end in any other way?" Her voice sounded like she was genuinely curious, despite the obvious lack of emotion in her voice.

He smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with tears, blurring his vision. It was cold, and with every word he spoke, his breath could be seen. "I guess.. It's because I have a stupid desire. A stupid wish. The first one of my own, and I can't even fulfill it."

"What wish is that?" Her muscles were fully functional now and her bones were being restored at a rapid rate. It wouldn't be long, now.

He turned his head so that he could look at her one last time. Her eyes only brought him more despair. "To save you." He said.

* * *

Shirō shot up out of bed, waking from that nightmarish memory. One of many he held within him. He struggled to calm his breathing. _"She's still Arturia. That hasn't happened. Not this time around."_ He thought to himself _"I won't let it"_

Shirō looked around, realizing that he had indeed been taken home. The memories of the previous night caught up to him as soon as he laid his eyes upon Arcurant, which was placed beside him. He realized that Arturia would likely be expecting an explanation. Briefly, he thought about lying to her, but he banished that thought quickly. He wouldn't lie to her. He didn't even know if he could. Probably not convincingly, at the very least.

He quickly got dressed, knowing he didn't have much time before either Sakura or Taiga showed up. Shirō didn't need to question where Arturia was. He could feel her presence through their connection and instantly knew she was in the dojo. After making his way there, he opened the door slowly to see Arturia meditating, dressed in her casual blue and white outfit. The image of her sitting there peacefully reminded him that, although there was a long way to go, he could still save her.

"I suppose we need to talk," Shirō started "About a lot of things"

Arturia's eyes opened and she looked at him. It was a look he was unfamiliar with. "Yes. I think it would be best if we both revealed what we have been hiding."

A sad smile met his face. She always could tell when he was hiding something. Her words told him that she was likely going to reveal her identity to him. Previously, one path aside, she hadn't due to his own incompetence. She had requested that he allow her to keep it hidden to protect them both. Now, she knew that he could at the very least handle himself. Soon, she'd know that he was capable of much more than that. He was going to tell her everything. No more lies. No more hiding.

Shirō had brought Arcurant with him. He placed it softly onto the floor between them after sitting opposite of her. She stared at the blade intensely. "From your reaction I suppose you want to know what this is, but the answer to that is as long as it is complicated."

His fingers glided along the flat of the blade in a way that a man would caress a lover. "You already know its name. Arcurant."

"Is it a Noble Phantasm?" She asked, still staring at the blade. It was familiar to her in a way that spoke to her very soul, but she was unaware as to why that was.

Shirō shook his head "No. Not really, anyways. This blade has no history. No great past, no legend of its own that gives it power"

He picked the blade up and handed it to her. She was hesitant to take it into her own hands, but only for a moment. The second she grasped the hilt, more questions popped into her head. The balance of the weapon was perfect. The grip was perfect. Holding the blade brought out more feelings of familiarity. Somehow, she knew this weapon without ever actually knowing it. She looked at the fairy runes etched into both the blade and guard. They were similar to those on her Excalibur, but not exactly the same.

She knew Shirō was not lying to her, but it was hard to believe, as she could feel the intense hum of power coming from the blade. It was like a heartbeat. After a few moments, she realized that's exactly what it was. The blade matched her own heartbeat. She looked up to him, her eyes wide with shock. His small smile told her he already knew what she had just figured out.

"Last night was the first time I ever held it. The first time it's ever been held, period" He said, putting her unvoiced question aside. "Before that, it had only had a physical form once before. I didn't get to see the blade until last night."

"Then, how did you-" Arturia was interrupted by a knocking. Sakura. Shirō sighed, wishing they had more time.

"We'll finish this later" Shirō stood, offering his hand to her. She took it, pulling herself up as well. "Listen, when either Sakura or Taiga ask, you're an associate of Kiritsugu, my father, and you have some business to take care of and until it's all done, I've offered you a room here."

Arturia nodded. She already knew how this part worked. "Very well, if that is what you wish."

* * *

Sakura and Taiga sat opposite of Shirō and Arturia. Sakura would steal glances at Arturia from time to time, but otherwise kept her eyes away from hers. Taiga, however, was staring right at her.

"So, that's why I offered her a room here. Not like anyone else is staying here." Shirō said, finishing his carefully woven tale. It wasn't a complete lie. She was an associate of Kiritsugu. She didn't know he had passed away until he told her. She truly didn't have any other place to stay, and she was there on business of a sort.

Taiga's head snapped to his direction. "That's not a good thing, Shirō!"

Shirō tilted his head, looking as innocent as possible. "Why not, Fuji-nee? It's not as if this place is full of people. It's just the two of us."

Shirō could've swore he heard a growl come from Sakura's direction, but passed it off as her stomach, as she had barely touched her food.

"THAT'S EVEN WORSE!" Taiga yelled.

Arturia cleared her throat, drawing the attention of Shirō's other guests. "I assure you that I won't cause any trouble while I'm here," she started "And that, from what I know, Shirō is nothing but a perfect gentleman"

Shirō's cheeks burned slightly, but he kept down a blush.

Taiga's outrage quickly deflated "But.. A boy and girl living together.."

Arturia quickly countered the weak argument "Do you not trust Shirō?"

Taiga reeled back "Of course I do! He's the most trustworthy person I know!"

"So it is me you do not trust" Arturia had her now. She hid the small smile that she got from victory over someone else, whether with words or violence. She knew that Taiga would never openly admit that she did not trust her. Not in front of Shirō, anyway.

Taiga slumped in her seat, sputtering "That's- I mean, I don't-"

"Fuji-nee, if you can't trust her, then trust that I trust her" Shirō interjected, hoping to put this matter to rest.

The last bit of fight left Taiga Fujimura at that moment. Shirō knew she was mostly fighting Shirō's decision for Sakura's sake, and that she saw Arturia as a threat to the relationship between him and Sakura she was constantly trying to weave into existence. Unfortunately for both her and Sakura, he simply wasn't interested in her that way. She was kind, soft-spoken, and always helpful. But he could never see her as anything more than a good friend.

"Fine! You can stay. But no funny business!" Taiga said. She looked over to Sakura to gauge her reaction and was not surprised that she looked positively horrified at the idea of Shirō being alone with this woman.

* * *

As Shirō and Sakura disappeared from her sight on their walk to school, Taiga having already left to prepare for her own class, Arturia let out a sigh. Things had went better than she thought they would, but she was still worried. Before leaving, as Shirō was gathering his school supplies, he had told her that they would talk after he got home. The problem was, she knew what happened last time.

Rin happened, and Rider happened. She had insisted that she be allowed to come with him, but he put up a good argument. It would be strange if she were to suddenly show up and accompany him, and that wouldn't be good at keeping a low profile. She thought about taking spirit form, but decided against it. She feared that perhaps by taking spirit form, the World would notice what Merlin had done and correct itself, sending her back. Away from Shirō.

Arturia made her way to Shirō's room, where he had placed Arcurant. She still had many questions about the blade, more than she had before Shirō started his explanation. She had even more questions about Shirō himself. Comparing him now to how he was at the beginning of the war last time, he was incredibly different.

The second she stepped into his room, she could feel the hum of Arcurant's power. It was still that of her very own heartbeat. The fairy runes glowed softly, their golden light illuminating the blade and its guard ever so slightly. To her, the blade felt calm. But not a normal kind of calm, rather the kind that comes before a storm. She feared what that storm might be, what it might bring, if the blade were allowed to unleash it.

She inspected the runes, trying to decipher them. Some of them were similar to those upon Excalibur, but most of them were unknown to her. She noted that the runes upon the balled-tips of the guard were all the same, a total of six of them. The runes on the flat of the blade were present on both sides, but each side was different. She thought about which of the fairies might have inscribed their power onto the blade, but came up short.

Arturia decided that she'd wait towards the end of the school day before heading to Shirō. Although he might be somewhat different this time around, he was still selfless. He wouldn't call upon her unless necessary, and he might not think it necessary to do so. She'd take Arcurant with her as well. Just in case.

* * *

A screen bearing the moving image of Shirō as he first unsealed Arcurant softly lit an otherwise dark cavern. The moving image was on a loop, constantly repeating itself. Several feet away from the screen sat a young-looking man. His eyes were glued to the screen.

"How many times are you going to watch that, Merlin?" A feminine voice rang out, one that dripped of honey and silk. The man, Merlin, turned to look at the source of the voice. It wasn't a person, but rather an orb of light. Light that did not illuminate but could shine brightly nonetheless.

"It's not as spectacular as I thought it would be" Merlin started "Not as powerful as you said it would be, either" His tone was accusatory, but level.

The orb of light approached him, stopping just short of touching him. "Give it time" she, it, said "Conditions must be met to unlock its full potential. _His_ full potential"

Merlin looked back to the screen, watching as a golden flash enveloped Berserker, taking four whole lives from the Greek giant. "And if he doesn't meet those conditions?" Merlin asked "If he can't, then what?"

"This was just as much of your doing as it was mine, Merlin. You told me he would be capable. You tampered with time itself to make this happen, and then forced me to hide myself away when you brought him here" The orb said, it, her voice now the accusatory one.

"You stuffed me inside of you, 'To make the process easier' you said, and then sent him on his way without telling him everything."

Merlin bristled at that "Arturia was on her way! I couldn't very well let them see each other. As it was he barely got out in time before she got here" He pouted, crossing his arms.

"Why, Merlin? Why not send them back together?" The orb asked, the light of it getting brighter.

Merlin sighed. A sigh that only someone his age could make. The kind that sounded of exhaustion. "You know why, Vivian. _It_ wouldn't have worked"

" _It_ might still not, now that Morgan has been awakened" The orb, Vivian, said.

He nodded sadly. "I can't apologize, Vivian. At the very least, those two-"

"Get to see each other again?" Vivian finished, her voice wavering. "And what of us, Merlin? You were prepared to let the boy go without asking him to free you. If he had, there wouldn't be that chance for us."

Merlin turned to face the orb, its light getting dimmer. "He would have figured out who I am and would have gone back with the intention to free me whether or not I asked him to."

"You trust him that much?"

"I do." Merlin replied "I trust him just as much as I trust Arturia"

The orb's light was fading. "Then I will trust him as well. My time is up. The next time we see each other-"

"Will be in person" Merlin interjected, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"I hope so" Vivian said, her voice and light fading into nothingness.

* * *

It was the end of the school day and Shirō was mentally preparing for what was coming. He could only hope that, this time around, Rin wouldn't immediately attack him. After all, she did say that they needed to have a serious conversation later. Maybe that conversation could be had _without_ her launching **Gandr** shots at him.

"Emiya" Well, speak of the devil herself.

He turned to see Rin standing in the same hallway as him. The same empty hallway he was stabbed in. "Hello, Rin" Shirō said, his voice friendly. "I suppose it's time we have that talk?"

Rin nodded stiffly, her eyes cold and calculated. "How did you survive? There's no way your Saber should have been able to beat that thing"

Shirō couldn't see Archer, but he knew that he would be lingering in spirit form, waiting for any opportunity to attack and kill him, so he spoke carefully. "Well, it was mostly luck I suppose. Illya got bored and left before any serious damage could be caused"

Rin didn't buy it. "I find that hard to believe. She wanted to kill us."

Shirō shook his head. "She wanted to kill you, Archer, and Saber. For some reason she didn't want to kill me. After I stepped in-between Saber and Berserker, she left." Shirō started walking, Rin following him, in the direction of where he found Mitsuzuri last time.

Shirō could see the gears working in her eyes. His lie was working. "But why did you make me and Archer leave? You made it sound like you had some hidden trump card" Damn. He hadn't thought about her asking that.

He scratched his neck and chuckled nervously. "I just didn't want you to get caught up in it. There was no need to put all of us at risk. I figured from the way she addressed me that she wouldn't hurt me, or at the very least refrain from killing me. Besides, you wouldn't have left unless I gave you a good reason to, right?"

Rin was about to answer, but their conversation was cut short as they rounded the corner and came across a female student lying on the ground, unmoving. Standing just a few feet away from her was a purple-haired woman with a strange blindfold on her face. As Shirō and Rin ran towards her, she made a quick escape. Rin stopped at the student, checking her over to see if she was alive and, if she was, what happened. She looked up to see Shirō sprinting forward.

"Emiya! That's a Servant! You don-"

Shirō cut her off, yelling back at her as the distance between them grew. "Take care of her! I'll be fine!" He rounded the corner and he was gone from her view. Rin growled, not liking Shirō's careless attitude. She thought about calling Archer, but refrained from making herself known to the master of this new servant just yet, whoever they might be. She had suspicions, but no proof.

Shirō knew that this Servant, Rider, was leading him into the small wooded area near the school as a trap. She wasn't moving anywhere near full speed, otherwise he probably wouldn't be able to keep up with her.

He skidded to a halt, surrounded by trees. He could hear her laughter echo around him. It came from every direction. She was pleased that her trap had worked. "How bold of you, to come after a Servant without your own" She said, her words almost constricting him.

Shirō stood his ground, his stance defensive, ready to project at a moment's notice. "I was hoping I wouldn't need a Servant, since I only want to talk"

More laughter. "Talk? Are you sane, Boy? I didn't bring you out here to talk"

"I didn't think you did. This place is only used for two things after all" Shirō replied, ignoring her question of his sanity. Shirō strained his ears and heard as she quietly hopped from tree to tree. It was difficult, but manageable.

"Oh? And what two things could that be?" Rider asked, already having an idea of what those were. She didn't let him answer, however. She threw her nail-like dagger towards Shirō at a blinding speed, only to frown as he dodged it.

Shirō watched at the chain retracted the dagger into the trees. "I suppose you're here to fight and not the other thing," He quipped. He still remembered what she had done one of the previous times, trapping him in her **Breaker Gorgon** , using the guise of a dream to draw out Mana from him through his blood and other means.

He heard what could only be described as a hiss from behind the trees before the dagger was sent his way again, much faster this time. He managed to avoid being impaled, but the dagger was quick enough to leave a gash on his arm. He winced in slight pain. "You're quicker than you let on, boy. I'm impressed" Her words didn't come from all around this time, instead from her direction as she jumped down from a tree, dagger in hand.

Shirō knew Rider wasn't going to stop. Not unless he gave her a reason to. "It's not hard to impress someone who has only seen what Shinji is capable of" He said, hoping that would, at the very least, give her pause.

It did. Her approach stopped, but her dagger was still brought up, ready to attack. "How do you know who my Master is?" She demanded, her voice much rougher than it had been moments before.

"I know a lot of things, Rider. I know your identity. I know your Master's identity. I also know the identity of the person you consider to be your _true_ master." Shirō answered. Her dagger lowered, but only slightly.

"Shinji is disgusting. He isn't worthy by anyone's standards to be a Master. He is only your Master because Sakura doesn't wish to be involved in this war." He pressed, trying to get her to lower her weapon completely. To get her to stand down.

"How.. How do you know this? Nobody should know these things."

Shirō was quick to answer her, lest she get impatient and try to force an answer out of him with more violence. "It doesn't matter how I know. All that matters is that you and I both want to protect Sakura. Killing me won't do that."

"I won't betray my Master" Rider said, bringing her dagger up once more.

"Which one?" Shirō asked "Shinji, or Sakura?"

Rider didn't have an answer for that. When she was handed over to Shinji, she wasn't aware the object of Sakura's affections was also a Master in the war. Killing him would be a betrayal to Sakura, but not killing him would be a betrayal to Shinji, her 'proper' Master.

She wasn't given any more time to think, however. She just barely managed to jump backwards to avoid a cleaving, golden blade. Gripping the blade was another Servant, one that had golden hair.

"Saber!" Shirō exclaimed, surprised at her sudden entrance. She didn't look at him, keeping her eyes on Rider. "How did you know to come here? I didn't use a Command Seal"

"I thought it best to accompany you home. It seems I was wise to think so." Arturia said, keeping herself between Rider and Shirō. It was then that Shirō noticed a wrapped object attached to her back. He instantly knew what it was. Arcurant.

Rider, not liking the odds of both Saber and her strange Master, made a quick retreat. Neither Shirō nor Arturia made move to follow her. Seconds later, Rin and Archer appeared. Arturia instantly put herself between Shirō and Archer, who stepped forward in a hope to force Arturia to attack. Neither of them noticed the unraveled, empty cloth behind Arturia.

"Emiya! Where did that Servant go?" Rin said, walking in front of Archer. Even still, he didn't drop his hostile posture. She noted the gash on his arm.

Shirō shrugged. "She left as soon as Saber showed up. How is Mitsuzuri?" He asked, trying to divert the conversation.

"She'll be fine, but she was almost completely drained of Mana. There were two puncture marks on her neck, so I'm guessing whoever that Servant is has some kind of vampiric historical origins"

That was a huge weight off of his chest. He had hoped that Mitsuzuri would be okay again. He didn't want this war to take any more lives than absolutely necessary. "That's good, then. I'm glad someone like you was around to take care of her. I would have been clueless." A lie, but only a small one. _Technically_ he could have implanted her with Avalon for a short time, but that wasn't possible with the small amount of time he had to chase down Rider.

Rin shifted, not having expected Shirō's words. "Er.. Thanks, I guess."

"So where does this all leave us? Are we still enemies?" Shirō asked. For a moment, Rin considered his words before answering.

"This whole mystery Servant thing is too big of a deal for us to be at odds for now, Emiya. Plus, there's the Bounded Field around the school."

Shirō blinked. Bounded Field? He hadn't felt it's effects. "Bounded Field? Are you sure?"

Rin's head tilted. "You haven't felt it? It's not active but at the very least you should have know about it the second you stepped onto school grounds."

Shirō shook his head. "No, I haven't felt anything of the sort."

At first, Rin was confused. Even a complete novice would have felt the Bounded Field the second they entered it, unless..

Rin had to struggle to maintain a neutral expression. The only way he wouldn't feel it is if his reserves were so massive that his own Mana was greater than that of the Servant's. That was completely insane, but so was the idea of him being a Master in the first place.

"W-Well anyway, it's clear the Servant needs time to activate it. Afterwards, everyone within it will be broken down into Mana for the Servant or her Master." Rin said.

Shirō nodded. "Then it would be best if we work together, at least until we take care of this situation, right?"

"Yes," Rin agreed "We should deal with this together." Archer clearly disagreed with the idea, but said nothing. He'd hold his tongue for now. All he needed to do was instigate a fight, or find a way to break their contract. Then, he could do it.

He could kill Emiya Shirō.

* * *

Rin offered to stitch up his wounds, but Shirō declined. There wasn't anything she could do that Avalon couldn't given some time, especially with Arturia so close to him. They had parted ways, agreeing to investigate the source of the Bounded Field the following day.

Now, he and Arturia were heading home, the sun setting behind them. It was clear to him that she still had a lot of questions, and he had a lot to answer for. Especially about how Arcurant disappeared when Rin and Archer showed up.

Shirō checked to ensure nobody was around to overhear them and spoke "So, about our conversation"

Arturia's head turned to his direction, meeting his eyes. "Yes, I was hoping to continue it. I have many questions." The way she spoke felt like he was being interrogated.

"Nobody is around for now, so feel free to ask."

Arturia was silent, thinking of where to start. She had questions, but she also wished to reveal her own secrets to him. "Shirō, how did you come into possession of Arcurant?"

_'Straight to the point as always, huh?'_ Shirō thought. "I think that I've always had it. Part of it, anyways" Shirō began. He noticed the confused look on her face and elaborated. "Arcurant is part of me. It was given shape so that I could save someone I care about from a fate that nobody deserves."

Arturia's eyes widened. What was he talking about?

"You see, I've been hiding a lot more than Arcurant. I'd like to tell you the truth, but I'm not sure if you'd belie-" Shirō stopped, Arturia's hand flying across his chest, stopping him dead in his tracks. She had already switched from her casual blue and white outfit to one more suited for battle, Excalibur in her other hand.

She was staring dead ahead of them into the darkness beyond the streetlight in front of them. The ones beyond it were no longer lit. Shirō had a bad, bad feeling welling up inside of him as he followed her eyes. He didn't have her enhanced vision, but he could see two figures standing in the darkness.

Arturia moved in front of Shirō, able to see the two figures slowly approaching them. As they got closer, their shapes became easier to see. One of them held a spear, and another one held a sword. Their armor was similar and familiar to her, but she was unable to ascertain why. It was pitch black, making it difficult to notice small details in the dark. They stopped just outside of the light of the streetlight closest to them.

This was definitely different from last time. Arturia hadn't faced anything like this during her time with Shirō. But she had seen something similar to this. Not exactly the same, but close. During the Fourth Holy Grail War. She stiffened at the memory of Lancelot.

"Shirō" Arturia said "You must run from here." She had no ability to gauge their skills or abilities, so she was not confident in her ability to protect Shirō and keep him from harm. Even if he held Avalon with him, he could still die.

"No."

"What?! Shirō, those things-" Arturia began protesting

"I won't run away. I won't leave you to fight alone. Not again." Shirō said. He extended his left arm out from his side, his hand open, a small golden glow appearing on his palm.

Not again? What was he talking about? During her entire time back with Shirō, he hadn't once left her to fend for herself. Arturia was confused, but kept her eyes on her opponents, who had resumed walking towards them, the streetlight above them going out. Now, the only light that illuminated the area around them was coming from Shirō's hand.

"I told you, the entire reason I have Arcurant is to save someone," Shirō said, his voice quiet and serious. "So now I need you to trust me. Trust that I can fight by your side."

Arturia was at a loss for words. Who was it he need to save? None of this had happened before. However, he was right. She needed to trust him. She had forgotten, in her wanting to protect him, to also trust that he is capable of taking care of himself. To trust in his courage to fight alongside her despite overwhelming odds. To trust in his ability to _win._

"I trust you, Shirō."

As Shirō finished calling out Arcurant, a bright, golden light flashed in his palm. He grasped the hilt and noted that Arcurant felt different. It felt stronger than before. _He_ felt stronger than before. As their enemies descended upon them, he took up a defensive stance, one that Arturia herself had taught him what felt like forever ago, full of courage.

* * *

"I still don't understand why you continue to let that ignorant boy live. He's only a liability." Archer said, sitting on Rin's couch. They had been arguing over her alliance, however temporary it might be, with Shirō.

"For the last time, he's a classmate. I'm not going to kill him, and neither are you. Once this situation with the Bounded Field is taken care of, we can talk about what to do -which doesn't involve killing him- afterwards." Rin said. Archer had been trying to get her to 'deal with' Shirō and his Servant ever since they had seen him. At first, she chalked it up to him wanting to get a jump on the competition, but now she was suspicious. He claimed to have no personal desire for the Grail, but he openly suggesed in 'removing Shirō from the equation' on numerous occasions thus far.

"And if he turns on you? What will you do then?" Archer asked, staring at her. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze, despite the amount of authority she held over him.

Still, Rin scoffed. "Emiya doesn't have a conniving bone in his body. I would have noticed if he did over the years we've been around each other,"

"You didn't notice he was a Magus" Archer countered. It was a fair point. Before the war Rin thought she had every potential Magus in the entire city pegged. She had gone over every file and every report, confidential or otherwise, and none of them had any indication that Shirō might be a Magus. Somehow he had flown under the radar of both her and the Mage's Association. That was not an easy task by any means.

Rin didn't respond to Archer. She wouldn't give him a reason to gloat. Instead, she continued working on replacing the jewel she had used on Shirō. She had a feeling that she'd need one sooner rather than later.

* * *

These enemies were more menacing than they were strong, Shirō had noticed. He could tell that although they weren't holding back, their power seemed to be severely limited. Arturia and he weren't fighting together, rather they each had an opponent they focused on. Catching glimpses of her fight from time to time told him that she wasn't giving it her all. Rather, she was testing the waters. She had ended up having the sword-wielding one, where he was pitted against the one with the spear. The very same one that he had been stabbed by.

What their opponents lacked in raw strength they made up for in skill. Although their movements seemed almost mechanical, they were extremely precise with no wasted movement. Going up against a spear-user already put him at a disadvantage when it came to reach, which only piled on to it's skill. Shirō's opponent had managed to get in a few shallow cuts, two on his left arm and one on his cheek. His earlier wound inflicted by Rider had been mostly healed by Avalon, but the motions of attacking and defending had caused it to start bleeding again, soaking through his school uniform, which was already damp with blood from before.

Dodging another thrust, Shirō made to counter-attack, only for his opponent to draw back the spear and block his horizontal slice, Arcurant's blade biting into the metal of the spear. Shirō had attempted to trace the weapons of their enemies only to find that, much like Merlin's staff, he was unable to. His attempts at doing so only came back with a feeling of emptyness from the weapons, as if they were simply hollow shells with no real power of their own. Shirō could personally relate to that if he weren't actively trying to defeat the users of said weapons.

As Shirō attempted to press the attack, it seemed as if his opponent increased their skill and strength just enough to keep them at a stand-still. He decided at that moment to not give it his all and realized that Arturia must have noticed the same exact thing much earlier on.

Arturia, just down the unlit street from Shirō, had indeed come to the same conclusion. She had taken to the defensive side of the fight, only probing her opponent's defense for weaknesses when she had an open opportunity. She could tell that their weapons were weak, only capable of standing up to her Excalibur and Shirō's Arcurant through the sheer skill of their users.

She was waiting for Shirō's command, trusting in him to both stand against his opponent and to know how and when to use their own power. The majority of their communication during the fight was nonverbal, relying on their eyes and body language to convey simple but important messages. She had noticed that Shirō was using the same style she had taught him, only she had taught him last time. They had yet to actually train together this go-around. It raised questions that she deposited to the back of her mind, instead focusing on her opponent.

Arturia managed to land a solid blow on her opponent in a downward cut, but was surprised to see no blood seep out of the new hole in her opponent's armor, nor any skin beneath it. Only pure darkness remained. She was so caught up in this revelation that she was unaware what had begun to transpire behind her.

Shirō noticed Arturia's cut and then realized that his opponent was no longer interested in him. It had turned away from him, looking down the street at Arturia, it's weapon in a grip that was not meant to stab or slash, but rather to throw. Before he could react, the specter of darkness had thrown it's spear, and Arturia seemed completely unaware.

_**"Time Alter – triple accel"** _

Shirō's body and mind sped up, beyond what he had used before against Berserker. He moved to intercept the spear which had slowed to a crawl in his perspective. Taking advantage of this, he called upon Arcurant. This time, instead of a flash of destructive light for fear of their enemies matching his output, he morphed that power to suit a different need. Instead of attacking, he was defending. Not just Arturia, but himself as well.

The runes on his blade glowed, but a single rune on the balled-tips of its guard glowed the brightest. The glow encompassed the weapon and still continued to brighten. The golden light engulfed Shirō's entire body, turning him into what looked like a streak of gold to an outsider's perspective. On the end of the streak, where it was brightest, Shirō emerged.

* * *

Arturia's distraction was brought to an end by a sudden flash of light and then, quickly following that, a smashing and clanging sound. She looked back and saw something both incredible and confusing. With his back to her, Shirō stood, his arm outstretched to the side with wisps of smoke rising from his hand. A spear was embedded into the ground a few feet away with the same smoke rising from it as well, one that was clearly meant for her. Shirō wasn't in his school uniform anymore. Instead, he was in a suit of silvered-steel armor. On top of it all, his Sword was gone.

The armor's boots went up to the bottom of his knees, which were protected by sharp-looking curved plates. Following that were two sets of interlocking plates on his outer thighs that were fastened to his body by leather straps. His arms were similar, with claw-like gauntlets that stopped just past his wrist that were followed by interlocked elbow plates and pauldrons that rested on his upper arms, rather than his shoulders. Next was his chest plate which left much of the back of his body open, but his front was protected by three more interlocking plates. Under the armor was a set of black leather, adding minimal but additional protection. Finally, the armor was covered in the same glowing, golden runes that were etched into his sword.

He was stood up straight, head level. She couldn't see his face, but Arturia could feel his determination. Waves of golden energy emanated from where he stood, illuminating the area around them. Arturia could tell there was no hesitation, no doubt clogging his mind. It reminded her of how he stood against Gilgamesh before they destroyed the Grail the previous time. It was as if his confidence had been given shape, turning into the armor he now wore.

"Shirō.."

All-in-all, it was as much a blade as it was armor. A form-fitting, body-wide blade. Their opponents had stopped, choosing instead to stare at Shirō. He wasn't done, however. He now lacked a proper sword. Quickly correcting this, he projected the only blade he could think of at that moment from his outstretched hand. Caliburn.

Arturia recognized it instantly. "That's.."

The second that legendary blade appeared in his hands, their opponents reacted with what sounded like shrieks and growls from beneath their helmets. They started to act sporadically, but it went as quickly as it came, suddenly turning back into the mechanical monsters they were just fighting. Shirō and Arturia back up against each other and readied themselves, storing her new questions and his explanations for later. However, once Shirō's opponent picked up its spear, they both faded into a dark mist.

* * *

On their way home, Shirō noticed that although his Mana reserves were impacted by both projecting Arcurant and Caliburn, as well as morphing Arcurant into The Armor and using **Triple Accel** , it wasn't nearly as bad as it was when he first projected Arcurant.

They hadn't spoken much in their slight rush to his home, choosing to save their questions and answers for after they were out of the open. Arturia had voiced her doubt at their enemies returning and he shared the sentiment, but they were more worried about being caught out in the open by a hostile Servant who might have been drawn to their battle.

Arturia had insisted upon taking care of his wounds, using his first-aid kit to do so. She was surprisingly gentle, taking care not to agitate the cuts. This required him to be shirtless to grant ample access to the cut on his arm inflicted by Rider, which caused them both to blush slightly. Shirō found it surprising, as in this point in time, as Arturia had said before, she thought of herself more as a knight than a woman.

"I guess you have more questions now than you did before, huh?" Shirō asked, checking over his fresh bandages. Arturia had done an excellent job in both treating the wound and applying said bandages.

She nodded. "I have many questions, but I also have to reveal a secret of my own. It starts with my identity. It is important that you know who I was," Arturia began. "In life, I was a King. My name-"

"- Is Arturia Pendragon. Once and Future King of England-" Arturia was still shocked at his words despite having already called her name once. Shirō hadn't known her identity until she had told him last time.

"-Raised by Sir Ector, trained to be a Knight, and Guided along the path to Kingship by Merlin, the Magus of Flowers-" Her jaw threatened to unhinge. She knew of her own legend, but nobody had known Merlin as the 'Magus of Flowers'. Nobody except those who had known him.

With a shaky voice, she asked her question. "How do you know all of this?"

Shirō smiled. It wasn't a happy one. It was one that told of deep sadness and regret, one that was etched with a lifetime of pain. "I know part of it because of the legends. The stories. I know part of it because of what Kiritsugu told me. Mostly, I know because you told me, Arturia."

Her heart skipped a beat in her chest. What was he saying?

He sighed, rubbing his sore neck. "You told me a lot about your life. About Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. About how you and Kay would argue over who would win your spars. About how Percival would try to prank Agravain," His voice softened then, recalling the more somber things she shared with him. "About how Bedivere came back twice before finally returning Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake,"

Arturia found it difficult to breathe. She had begun putting the pieces together.

"You shared these things with me just like I shared my past with you. Mostly, it was during our breaks when you were helping train me to defend myself," Shirō called upon Arcurant, the blade phasing into physical form once again, resting in his hands. "It's because of you that I can protect the people I care about. It's because of you that I have this,"

Shirō gently set Arcurant down, resting it on the table between them. "I know all of this and I'm capable of all these things because I've done this before."

There it was. The confirmation she needed. It explained everything, from the vision she had to his behavior to Arcurant itself. He wasn't looking at her, instead looking down at his hands. If he were, he'd use those hands to brush aside the tears that had begun streaming down her face. He'd see her smile.

"Shirō," She whispered, finding it hard to speak. He kept going, though.

"Not just once, either. I have the memories of going through this war time and time again, and the one thing that was consistent through it all was how I came to feel about you," He touched the blade of Arcurant gently, feeling its hum, the one that matched Arturia's heartbeat. "It's you, Arturia. I have Arcurant so I can save _you."_

He stopped speaking when her hands found his. "Shirō," She said, causing him to look up at her. She was crying. Why was she crying? It didn't suit her. It didn't match the smile on her face. "Your past doesn't define who you are, it just gives you the starting point of who you're going to be"

Everything in the room stopped. That was something _he_ had told _her_ what felt like a lifetime ago, after she had first confided in him about her past. Those were the words he had later spoken to Archer, someone who was just as obsessed with his past as Arturia was with hers. Words that eventually led to he and Arturia falling in love. There was no way Arturia could know those words, no way she would even speak them if she did unless she had already come to terms with her past. Somehow, some way, she had been sent back like him.

"Merlin?" He asked, his voice nothing more than a whisper, one that was as fragile as it was hopeful.

"Merlin." She confirmed.

There it was. They had both revealed their separate, but intertwined secrets. He was shocked. Stunned silent, his jaw hanging open and his eyes wide. His heart had skipped and was now beating as fast as it ever had before. Her words echoed in his mind over and over, each time becoming more and more clear.

They did the only thing that seemed reasonable at that moment. The one thing that made sense to them. The one thing that they had each wanted ever since seeing each other again. They embraced each other, holding on as tightly as possible for fear of being ripped apart again.

* * *

Outside of Shirō's home, beyond the bounded field, far enough away that she wouldn't be detected, was Rider. She could see the scene taking place. She had witnessed the fight between those two and the phantom-servants. She couldn't tell what was being said, not without revealing her own presence, but she had a good idea.

She hadn't yet returned to Shinji. Instead, she had followed Shirō. His words and his actions didn't match what she had been told about him. Not entirely. He was an anomaly. Even more intriguing was his blade and armor, and more than that was his relationship with his Servant.

At first, she felt angry. Angry at his words, and angry at his embrace with his Servant. Angry for Sakura. He spoke about wanting to protect Sakura, he had to be aware of her feelings, and yet he threw them away for a Servant.

Her anger faded, though. It faded to curiosity. Why would he care about a Servant? They were tools. Instruments of violence and war. He was a Master, yet he didn't act like one. He genuinely cared for his Servant, and that confused her. How could someone so open and caring also be as powerful as he was?

She knew, deep down, that he also cared for Sakura. That he wanted to keep her safe and happy, but wasn't able to do that and be truthful about his own feelings. When she acknowledged that fact begrudgingly, her anger dissipated completely. Only confusion remained. She was unable to come to terms with Shirō having genuine feelings for a Servant. Not on her own.

Rider didn't return to Shinji that night. Instead, once she had seen everything that there was to see about Emiya Shirō, she went to Sakura. Not to expose Shirō to her, but to ask questions. Questions that she couldn't find an answer to on her own.


	4. Catharsis

_"I was given a vision of the end - But it's here in these hands that cannot mend - And the memory will haunt me for all eternity"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 3: Catharsis**

He couldn't rely on the skill of others forever. He had seen thousands of weapons, thousands of fighting styles, all that he could copy at any given moment. He had, in his opinion, the skill of the greatest swordsman to ever walk the Earth at his disposal, should he so choose to trace her blade. He could become agile and versatile if he were to trace the twin blades that he once relied upon. He could even go further, to trace a spear, or a bow, to fight from a longer range.

He didn't want to. Not anymore. He still had a contract to fulfill, but he no longer wanted to rely on the skill of someone else to see him through a storm of battle and blood. He wanted to better _himself._ So, in the small amount of down time, he forged his own sword. One that was not ornate nor magical. One that held no power on it's own, rather relying upon its user to convey its message. The design was plain and simple, easy to reproduce should the first of its kind ever break. A western-style longsword, something that he felt would be easy to use to build his own skill with.

It worked. Through trial and error, Shirō grew into a deadly swordsman. He could never hope to match _her_ level, not while he was still alive, but it was a start. After he had honed his skill to a level he felt comfortable with, he stopped using the skill and weapons of others entirely, instead forging his own weapons to replace those which had broken previously. He experimented in the design, but it always came back to a plain, simple longsword. He could feel something in the back of his mind, something that clearly wanted to get out, to free itself from him whenever he forged a new blade, but he couldn't find a way to let it out.

Each iteration of his blade got stronger and lighter after leaving behind old design flaws. His swings, stabs, and cuts got faster and more precise, and the edges of his blade got sharper. The idea of wielding the blade was left behind. Instead, he _became_ the blade. It was an extension of his own body. As such, his own movements got reeled in to the point where Shirō would waste no energy in his attacks and could easily defend without taking the force unto himself, instead redistributing the energy elsewhere, often throwing his foes off-guard, leaving them open for a final, closing blow.

His battles ended quicker. His enemies would flee sooner. He would let some of them go, those who never wanted to fight to begin with. Those who intended on taking up arms against him once more were not so lucky. Shirō became something in-between. Not quite human, but not as powerful as a Servant. Not on his own, anyway.

He could feel her still. Both on and off the battlefield. Somehow, a part of her was still with him. She was there, her hands interlaced with his, helping guide his attacks. He could feel her tug at him, to warn him of imminent danger. He could feel her arms over his shoulders, as if he were carrying her, when he traveled on foot. In bed at night, he could feel her next to him, warming him, keeping the cold at bay. She was like his guardian angel.

He had saved her. After the Fifth Holy Grail War, she left the world with no fear, no hesitation, and no guilt. After all their time together, he had lifted that from her. She would not return to a blood-soaked hill. She no longer had any regrets. She would have been taken to Avalon. There, she'd wait. She'd wait for him.

Shirō followed his dream of becoming a Hero of Justice. He was at a fork in his path, however. If he continued down it, he knew what he could become. He knew that, in the end, he could become Archer. However, if he stopped, if he left this path, he had the chance himself of reaching Avalon. All he needed to do was find it. Find her.

Neither were what he had wanted. He never wanted her to leave in the first place. He didn't want her to be alone again. He wanted her to be _there._ With _him._ He wanted to give her a second chance at life. One where they could leave behind their past completely.

That was the crux of the matter. He had saved her, but she wasn't able to save him. It wasn't any fault of her own. There was nothing she could have done. His Fate was set when the last of her energy was used up and she disappeared before his eyes. He had wanted to help people, to save people. He didn't want to kill. He learned very quickly that killing was the only way to save a lot of people. So, he couldn't be saved. Not from himself. After all of his battles, all of the killing he did, he didn't feel worthy to be in her presence once again. He didn't feel he _deserved_ to be happy.

Then, the world around him became lost in a sea of golden light.

* * *

Shirō's eyes opened, and instead of seeing a golden light, instead he saw golden hair and was reminded that he had been given a second chance. _They_ had been given a second chance. Shirō noted that Arturia still smelled of vanilla, just like before.

Her body was molded to his, with one of her arms draped over his chest and her head buried in the crook of his neck. He could feel her heartbeat. He could feel their connection, stronger than it ever had been before. Mana flowed freely between it like two intersecting, rushing rivers. Like him, she was stronger this time around. He could tell.

After their embrace, they had made love. Until they were finished, not many words were spoken. They weren't necessary. Their thoughts were conveyed through touch. Afterwards, they spoke late into the night. He had explained what had happened with him and Merlin. He had told her everything. In return, she shared with him everything she knew. She shared exactly what 'timeline' she had come from, what Merlin had said, and everything relevant to their situation.

She didn't have multiple memories like he did. Instead, they shared only one memory of their time together. It was much like the one she had witnessed the night he had taken four of Berserker's lives. That had lead them to suspect that, for some reason, Merlin wasn't capable of pulling multiple 'Arturias' through time. Neither of them really cared too much. They were just happy to have each other once again.

To her, she had just finished the Fifth Holy Grail War and only had re-lived her nightmare once before a red portal opened up and pulled her through. She was shocked to hear that, in one of the 'timelines' she was granted passage to Avalon. More than that, she was shocked that Shirō felt he didn't deserve to be happy, didn't deserve _her_ after what she thought was an honorable life. She told him that she would always wait for him, regardless of the past, because she knew who he truly was.

He told her everything there was to know about Arcurant. Everything he knew, anyways. Although there were things about it he didn't understand, things that were kept from him despite it being part of him, there was still much to it. He explained how, in its sword form, was similar to her Excalibur. How it would release a flash of brilliant, golden energy. How Arcurant as a whole was just as dependent on his existence as it was hers.

He told her what the fairy runes did, though he did not understand the meaning behind each rune. How changing shape from The Sword to The Armor cost him a single rune that would take a full day to recharge. He explained that The Armor enhanced his speed and strength, allowing him to fight more on-par with powerful opponents. He told her how the energy attack of The Sword worked, acting more as a bladed wave of energy, where its power depended on how large of a swing was made.

He told her how Arcurant seemed to have some mind of its own, making its own abilities known to him at random, that he hadn't known of Arcurant's ability to change shape until a single moment before he did it.

She had her own explanations about how their Master-Servant bond was incredibly strong this time around, how she was in no way hampered from taking 'spirit' form, but that she'd rather stay as she had before. She told him that the amount of Mana that passed between them was massive, and was surprised to hear that he wasn't at all effected by Rider's Bounded Field this time.

Arturia questioned his ability to use Kiritsugu's Magecraft, wondering how he gained his Crest despite it being incompatible with him, but when he thought about it himself it didn't make much sense. He didn't have any memory of learning it on his own, nor memory of Kiritsugu ever passing down his Crest. He could, in the back of his mind, feel a tickle, a whisper of something that he couldn't quite place. When Shirō explained it to her, she said that it sounded like part of his memory was locked away.

This was startling, as Merlin had never said he locked away any memories, and any reasoning as to why he would was not pleasant to think about. In the end, Arturia suggested that, like Arcurant's Armor form, it could later make itself known to him just how he was able to use Kiritsugu's Magecraft. Afterwards, they had meant to discuss their strategy, but she had fallen asleep. It wasn't long before he joined her.

Before that, they had both sensed someone watching them. However, without any malicious intent behind their presence, neither of them cared enough to investigate. They both had a decent idea at who it was. If they were right, it wouldn't matter too much.

As he laid there, he observed her sleeping form. She looked peaceful. He couldn't see her face, but he knew that there would be a small, content smile on it. The blanket draped over them trapped the warmth of their combined body heat, providing further comfort for them both. For the first time in what felt like forever, he was happy.

"Good morning, Shirō,"

He smiled. "Good morning, Arturia."

She shivered at the way he said her name. Nothing had ever sounded so perfect as to hear her name come from his lips.

Neither of them moved to get up. They didn't want to. Of course, they had to eventually, but in that moment nothing else mattered. They woke up to each other again after having been ripped apart once before, or in Shirō's case, many times before. He could feel her breath on his skin. She could feel his hands on hers. So, for a few sweet moments, the rest of the world faded away, leaving only them. No enemies. No mystery. No war. Just them.

"I love you, Arturia," Shirō said.

"And I love you, Shirō" She replied.

Then, without warning, the world came back, and with it came all of the problems that they would have to face. Problems that threatened to rip them apart once again. Problems that were new to them, despite having knowledge of what could happen. Their one, saving grace was each other. There were no more secrets being withheld. They could fight unhindered in the presence of the other, being able to fully rely upon the other.

However, this presented them with a new dilemma. Archer. Sooner or later, he would sniff out Shirō's change. Before, Archer had waited until the majority of the danger was gone before revealing his true intentions. Neither of them were sure just how to confront Archer, or if they even should. They could get the jump on him and deal with him easily enough, but that would undoubtedly destroy their partnership with Rin. If they waited, they were playing a risky game, as Archer had the advantage of range on his side should he wish to pick them off from afar.

Then, there were the weird phantom-servants that had attacked them. Neither of them were sure of their origins, nor of their intentions. It was clear that they were being controlled, but by what they didn't know.

The morning sunlight crested over the horizon, slowly illuminating the room. It was a new day, and the Grail wouldn't wait for them. Neither would Sakura. She would be there soon enough. "We should get up." Shirō suggested.

* * *

Breakfast was much quieter this time. Although it was still clear to Shirō that Sakura wasn't comfortable with Arturia's presence, she was coming around. Now, her short glances at Arturia were more out of curiosity than jealousy or fear.

Taiga was noticeably less irate, but her suspicious attitude had yet to go away. "So, Saber-san, how long did you say you'd be staying?"

Arturia and Shirō shared a look before she answered. "My business in town will take no more than two weeks."

Taiga's gaze shifted between the two. Inwardly, Shirō was panicking. Taiga was astoundingly perspective when she wanted to be. It was in that moment he realized that neither of them had thought to take a shower. They didn't really have time. That meant Arturia's scent was all over him, and his was all over her.

His panic was all for nothing, though. "Hmm, okay. Let me know if you need any help getting around town." Taiga said.

* * *

At the top of Mount Enzou, deep within the various chambers of the Ryuudouji Temple, a summoning was taking place. An underground room was illuminated by a sinister red light that was projected from a Magic Circle. The room had three occupants at that moment, one to fuel the summoning, one to control the summoning, and one to stand guard.

After some time, the red light flashed brightly and after the light completely faded, there was a fourth occupant. It was a knight, dressed in pitch black plate armor that had a helmet which covered their entire face, leaving only one long slit to see out of. He was knelt in the middle of the depleted Magic Circle, a nameless sword at his side, awaiting a command.

"That's the fourth one so far. How many more do you plan on bringing forth?" A voice came from a distinctly feminine hooded figure.

The other woman in the room turned to her, a thinly veiled expression of rage evident on her face. However, her voice was eerily calm. "Several more. I will leave nothing to chance."

"They were able to fend off two of them with ease. The boy was holding back. Will your little pawns be enough?" The first woman asked.

The second woman turned away, looking at her new 'pawn'. "They will be. Once they are all together, nothing that boy can do will be enough to save him."

"So far, he's survived much worse than what you plan to throw at him."

The two women turned to look at the other standing figure. A man, also dressed in pitch-black armor, with slicked back black hair and a neutral expression on his face.

"Agravain, must you always speak out of turn?" The second woman asked. She raised a hand and made a small clenching motion.

The man, Agravain, was overtaken with pain. His very soul hurt. It was as if it were being ripped apart layer-by-layer. He refused to scream, though. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Instead, in a shaky voice, he spoke "He's stronger than you think, Morgan. Besides, _she_ wouldn't let you harm him,"

Morgan le Fay growled. She squeezed tighter and Agravian was rendered unconscious. "Of all the possible Assassins, you summoned him," She spat, venom in her voice.

The first woman shrugged. "If I hadn't summoned him, it would have been more difficult to pull yourself to this time. You should be thanking me."

Her words were rewarded with a stare that could kill. "Watch yourself, Medea. I tolerate your presence because you've agreed to help me."

Medea laughed softly, ignoring Morgan's fury. "You're far too serious, Morgan. That boy might be able to stand against your pawns, but he could never hope to stand against _us._ "

"No," Morgan said, preparing a new Magic Circle. "He won't be able to stand against my pawns, either. Not after I summon the next one."

Morgan le Fay's words piqued Medea's curiosity. "Oh? What is so special about the next one?"

He question was met with a cruel smile. "He's a _dragon_."

* * *

Shinji had been absent again. Shirō knew he wouldn't be there, but it was no comfort to know he was out in the world possibly doing other terrible things. He only hoped that his words got through to Rider.

At the end of school, he and Rin searched for the sources of the Bounded Field. She had explained that destroying them would only buy them time, as new ones would appear and the old ones would be restored elsewhere. This meant that they had to find the Magus responsible for the Bounded Field.

Shirō knew where to find him, of course. He'd be hiding in the Archery Club. However, he couldn't risk Rin getting hurt. Luckily, Rin had told him that she sent Archer to investigate a lead she had on another Master. Shirō could only assume that meant Archer was off spying on Caster. Before he left for school that morning, he had told Arturia to do the same as yesterday, to make her way to the school shortly after he would normally get home. Just in case.

He split up from Rin after suggesting that they could cover more ground looking for the sources of the Bounded Field once he convinced her he knew what he was looking for. As he approached the Archery Club, his mind went into overdrive, thinking of what to do, what to say, and how to deal with Rider.

He smirked at the reaction Rin would have if she knew what he was about to do. She'd probably go ballistic. Yell at him for willingly engaging both a Servant and a Master without any backup. She'd be even more irate than usual because neither of them had their Servants with them. She would never understand. Even if he told her the truth, even if he revealed everything to her, she'd still be angry. Mostly at being excluded, he thought.

Shirō had to do this. He had a chance at dealing with Shinji before putting anyone else at risk. Shirō reached outwards with his mind, relaying a message to Arturia. _"I'm here, at the Archery Club. West side of campus."_ Their connection was strong enough for him to rest assured that the message got through. He was sure of it.

He set down his school bag by the door and steeled himself. _'You can do this.'_

He opened the door.

* * *

**Earlier that morning..**

Rider was in a kind of daze when she finally arrived at Sakura's window. She kept quiet to avoid waking Shinji, not wanting to deal with him at the moment. She had watched Shirō and his Servant for the past several hours and was presented with more questions than she had answers for. She was more confused than anything else.

She tapped softly on Sakura's window and waited. She knew Sakura slept lightly and didn't want to let herself in. She wasn't sure what she was going to say, just that she knew the only person she trusted was Sakura. Even still, she didn't want to reveal exactly what it is she saw for fear of hurting Sakura.

The window opened. "Rider?"

Rider, even with her eyes sealed, could tell Sakura hadn't been sleeping very well. "I'm sorry, Sakura. Something happened recently and I was hoping for your help."

Sakura was confused. What could she possibly help Rider with? "Please, come in," She said, tugging on Rider's hand.

Rider climbed in through the window and became instantly aware of how carefully she'd have to choose her words. Sakura's room was clean, well-kept, and had various pictures scattered about. These pictures were behind glass, encased in handmade frames. Each and every single picture had Shirō in it. It was clear to her that Sakura viewed Shirō as more than the boy she had a crush on. She could tell that he was probably the only thing keeping Sakura the kindhearted girl she was.

That made things more difficult. "Sakura, things have transpired recently that have made me rethink certain things," Rider sat down on a chair close to Sakura's bed.

Sakura sat down on her bed after closing the window, keeping the cold air out. "What kind of things?"

Rider was silent for a moment, trying to think of a way to frame her words. "I.. I'm having doubts," She began "Some of the things I've seen tonight are making me think that.. That I'm more than what I am."

Sakura tilted her head. "More than what you are?"

"A Servant that servers her Master." Rider clarified.

A sad look crossed Sakura's face. "Then those doubts are justified. You _are_ more than that, Rider," Sakura took Rider's hand in her own. "You a friend. A person, just as much as anyone else."

"How can you be so sure?" Rider asked, hesitation to believe evident in her voice.

Sakura pulled Rider's hand to her chest, causing Rider to slightly blush until she felt something. Something moving. Something that wasn't her heart. Rider used her magical detection to see beneath the surface of Sakura's skin. Within her were worms. Thousands and thousands of worms. She looked up at Sakura, shock on her face.

"Because I used to think just like you." Sakura said.

* * *

**Present...**

"Looking for something, Emiya?"

Shirō turned to see Shinji, his Command Spell plainly visible in his hands. Behind him was Rider, just barely visible through the shadows.

"Take down the Bounded Field," Shirō commanded.

A look of shock flashed across Shinji's face, before returning to the small smirk he was familiar with. "Don't be like that, Shirō. It's purely for defense. With a Magus like Tohsaka running around, it's the only way I could-" He stopped.

Shirō had heard this before. He had to make a point. He had to force Shinji to give up. Hopefully he would be able to do that without hurting him.

Shirō extended his arm to the side slightly and called forth Arcurant. The blade flashed into existence, its golden runes providing enough light to make Rider fully visible. "Take down the Bounded Field. I'm not going to ask again."

Shinji backed up, bumping into Rider. "S-Shirō, hold on. I'm just trying-"

Then, in Shirō's other hand, another item appeared. It was a jagged dagger, one that was even less effective of a weapon than a normal dagger. However, it held a different purpose.

"Rider. I'm going to offer you the ability to choose."

Shinji was confused. Choose? What choice was there? He was her Master. She didn't get to choose anything. He looked back to Rider, but she didn't meet his gaze. Instead, her head was pointed in Shirō's direction.

Shirō expertly flipped the dagger around, now holding it by the flat surface of the blade, offering the handle to grab. "You remember my words, Rider?"

"I do." She said.

Shinji was getting angry. He was being ignored. "Shirō, I was going to offer you an alliance, but now it is clear to me that you're just another enemy," He turned to Rider, invoking the power of his Book of False Attendant "Kill him." He then left quickly, to avoid getting killed himself.

Her body moved into action without her permission. She brandished her dagger, preparing to strike. Shirō didn't move, the dagger still in his hands. "You need to pick one now, Rider." He said, no fear in his voice.

"Sakura. I choose Sakura!" She said, her body involuntarily launching her dagger towards Shirō at a blinding speed.

Only to be blocked by a swirling vortex that acted to cloak a blade. Arturia had arrived. Both Rider and Shirō breathed a sigh of relief as Rider retracted the dagger to make a second attack.

"Shirō," Arturia started. "Shinji is making his way across the field. I suggest you do it now."

He nodded. "Please keep her occupied for a few moments." Shirō then bolted out the door, chasing after Shinji. Rider moved to intercept him, but was blocked by Arturia. "Please forgive me for any damage I might cause you." Arturia said.

* * *

Shirō reached his ideal spot and Arcurant dissipated. He saw Shinji moving at a pace slightly quicker than walking. Apparently he believed Shirō would never have been able to escape Rider, since he wasn't in a hurry. This wasn't exactly how he intended this to go down, but the result would still be the same.

He'd have to be quick, but also careful. He didn't want to kill Shinji. He held out his free hand that once held Arcurant and spoke. **_"Trace, on"_**

_Judging the concept of creation_

_Hypothesizing the basic structure_

_Duplicating the composition material_

_Imitating the skill of its making_

_Sympathizing with the experience of its growth_

_Reproducing the accumulated years_

_Excelling every manufacturing process_

In his hands a large, sleek black bow appeared. A bow that he had used before. He tested the draw weight, making sure it was how he remembered. It wasn't something any normal human would be able to use. But, as those around him were constantly reminding him, he was far from normal.

Next came the hard part. He focused his energy, directing it towards the dagger in his hands. Rule Breaker. He flipped it around, once more holding it by the grip. As he went to nock it, the dagger changed shape. It twisted and elongated, changing from dagger to arrow, while maintaining its original purpose and power.

He'd never be able to use Rule Breaker again unless he were able to trace the original. He planted his feet in an optimal postion, exhaled, and fired.

The arrow impacted before Shinji could take another step. It buried into the book, knocking it out of his grasp. The arrow glowed a crimson red before setting the book alight, magical fire consuming the book quickly.

"No!" Shinji screamed. He tried to put out the fire, but it was no use. The book turned to ash before his very eyes.

He turned to look at where the arrow had come from to see Shirō standing there, with Rider and his own golden-haired servant behind him. They were all staring at him. He screamed, turned, and ran.

* * *

"What now?" Rider asked.

Shirō, after watching Shinji disappear from sight, turned to her. "Now? You go home. To Sakura. You protect her, just like you've been doing. Shinji isn't going to take this well."

Rider regarded him with a look. "You're a strange one, boy. Nothing about you makes sense."

He smiled. "It does. You're just missing a few pieces to the puzzle right now. Give it some time. Things will make more sense towards the end of this war."

He and Arturia moved to leave. Rider had one last thing to say, though. She placed a hand on his shoulder, ignoring the icy look his Servant gave her. "There's something else. Sakura, inside of her she has these-"

"Crest Worms. I know," Shirō started. "Don't worry about it. We'll take care of that, too. The important thing to remember is that she's still Sakura."

Rider lifted her hand. With that, Shirō and Arturia left.

"Goodbye, Shirō." She said softly. Soft enough he shouldn't have been able to hear.

He did, though. "We'll see you later, Medusa." He said, waving back at her.

Next was giving Rin the all-clear. She'd probably be furious he dealt with Shinji without her, but she'd get over it. He'd have to change a few details to suit his story, but that was easy enough now that Arturia was there.

Shirō looked over to Arturia to see she had an angry look on her face.

"What's wrong?" He asked. She looked over at him, her face changing from anger to something else. Something he wasn't familiar with.

"I don't like that woman."

Jealousy. Arturia was well aware of what had happened with Rider previously. It was from the one past they shared, where Rider had entrapped Shirō with her Breaker Gorgon and extracted Mana from him through the guise of lewd, illicit dreams.

Shirō had them stop and wrapped an arm around her waist. She blushed at his action. "Shirō?"

"Those dreams, whatever they were, mean nothing. They were the only way she'd ever get anything like that from me, because you're the one I love. Not her."

As he spoke, her blush got deeper and deeper. Even now, after all the intimate moments they had shared together, she was still only just recently opening up to the 'woman' side of herself, which had all kinds of complex emotions and feelings she was largely unfamiliar with.

"Come on. We'd better find Rin before she blows up half the school looking for Shinji."

* * *

"Oof!"

Shirō and Arturia rounded a corner and immediately a body slammed into Shirō at what before was a full-tilt sprint. If Shirō weren't who he was that day, he'd be knocked over for sure. However, Shirō had changed in many ways. One of those ways had been something Arturia commented on. The entirety of his body was much more solid.

The body that slammed into him bounced backwards. Shirō looked down to see Rin, out of breath and looking fairly annoyed.

"Geez, Emiya," She started as he helped her up. Suddenly, whatever she planned to say was cast aside. "Wait, Shinji! I saw him running from the School grounds. He's _got_ to be the Master!"

She moved to follow, but Shirō raised his arm to block her. "He was. Not anymore. Arturia and I took care of it."

Astonishment, annoyance, and doubt flashed across Rin's face. "You did? Wait, how did Saber even get here? How did you beat his Servant?"

Shirō shrugged. "I caught him off-guard. He wanted me to partner up with him against you. Saber showed up pretty quickly after I called her through our link. When she did it was too late to realize that I wasn't going to be the pawn he wanted."

Rin bought it. He was wise to leave out any details of him fighting. "So when he was running.."

Shirō nodded. "He was running away. After his Servant was gone, he didn't want to stick around."

She gave him a pensive look. "Still, I should have noticed the fight.."

Arturia interjected then. "Shinji's Servant was of the Rider Class, and ill-suited for close combat. She didn't have any time to gain the advantage of distance because she wasn't expecting me to appear so suddenly."

Rin took a moment to think and nodded, satisfied. "Well, Archer is still investigating a lead on Mount Enzou. I'm pretty sure there's a Servant up near the Temple."

"So now that Shinji is taken care of, where does that leave us?" Shirō asked.

Rin shrugged. "I'm not opposed to your own goal to prevent meaningless death. Plus we both could use some help when the time comes to deal with Berserker." She stated.

Shirō nodded. "Alright. If your lead on Mount Enzou goes anywhere, Saber and I have your back."

After a short while longer, they parted ways.

* * *

Once again, it was dark by the time Shirō and Arturia were heading home. They walked close together, his arm wrapped around her waist, her head on his shoulder. He was a bit taller than he was previously, one of the many differences this time around. The cool nighttime winter air nipped at them, but their closeness and combined body heat kept it at bay.

"So, how do you want to handle Caster?" Shirō asked.

Arturia looked up at him. "With her Rule Breaker, she's dangerous. Were it not for that I wouldn't need to worry about her attacks."

Shirō nodded grimly. "And now that I've broken my image of it, I'll have to trace the original if I ever need to use it again." He said, chiding himself.

Arturia could feel that Shirō felt his actions were a mistake. "Even so, now that we know about it, it'll be much easier to avoid."

This was true. Caster, as her Class suggests, not a close-range fighter. She couldn't close gaps quickly. "If I were to use a bow, you could stop block some of her attacks, right?"

Arturia caught on quickly. "Yes. My Magical Resistance means all but her more powerful attacks would be easy to defend against. If you were to make a decisive shot immediately-"

"- Then it would be a quick fight. The problem is Suzuki-Sensei. He's not just going to stand around." Shirō said, finishing her thought.

Arturia nodded. "We'll have Rin and Archer there. They should be able to deal with her Master."

Shirō nodded. "True. I was hoping to avoid killing either one of them. Suzuki-Sensei reformed himself after a life of killing. A life that was a lot like one I lived. Caster's own Fate was one where she was betrayed again and again."

Arturia could see where he was coming from. After Shirō had told her of the things he had done, she was surprised, but not in a bad way. He had become a warrior, in body and spirit, yet retained his own sense of justice and honor. He didn't revel in killing. He only did it when absolutely necessary, and never felt good about it. Often, he felt bad about it. That's why he didn't want to kill Caster and her Master. Because they were only his enemy because of the Holy Grail.

"I understand, Shirō, but if Caster calls down the Grail like she said she can.."

"I know," Shirō said. "I know. There's no guarantee that destroying it would be the same as destroying the proper Grail. I doubt she'd be okay with it even if there was."

They walked together in silence, both contemplating on how to deal with Caster. Arturia knew he would seek every possible option before resorting to killing them. As she thought about it, she realized something. She and Shirō had similarities to Caster and her Master. Caster spoke of what she planned on wishing for. She wanted to stay with her Master, and he wanted her to stay with him. He had said he was empty before meeting Caster. That he felt something move inside of him when seeing her.

Caster, after meeting Kuzuki, was able to move on with her life. She was able to let go of her past and strive for the future.

It was all so familiar to her.

Shirō and Arturia came to a stop. In front of them was a man in black armor, similar to those of the phantom-servants they had fought before. However, he wasn't wearing a helmet. Illuminated by the streetlight he stood under, she could see his face plain as day, accompanied by his black, slicked-back hair.

She knew this man.

"Agravain?" She asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

Shirō looked to her. "That's Agravain?" He whispered. Though he had seen her past via dreams, the faces of her comrades had all been blurry and distorted. The only clear one was that of Lancelot.

The man, Agravain, had a sad smile on his face. "Hello, my King. Hello to you as well, boy." The way he spoke suggested that he was not displeased to see either one of them, nor the sight of Shirō so close to his King.

"What are you doing here, Agravain? _How_ are you here? What has happened to you?" Arturia asked.

Behind him, the two other phantom-servants from before appeared. He had a regretful look on his face. "I regret being put in this position. Unfortunately, my King, I've been sent to kill that boy."

Shirō took a defensive stance while Arturia's clothes were replaced by her armor, Excalibur's cloaked form in her hands. "What is the meaning of this, Agravain? How are you here? Who are you doing this for?"

Agravain drew a long dagger, elegant and vicious in design. It was the blade of an Assassin. "That _woman_ ," He spat "Has forced me to do this. Please do not hesitate to strike me down."

The two phantom-servants bolted forward, weapons in hand. They moved mechanically, like they were nothing but tools. Shirō, quickly remembering their previous reaction, called a weapon he used the previous night.

**" _Trace, on"_**

_Judging the concept of creation_

_Hypothesizing the basic structure_

_Duplicating the composition material_

_Imitating the skill of its making_

_Sympathizing with the experience of its growth_

_Reproducing the accumulated years_

_Excelling every manufacturing process_

Caliburn's weight rested firmly in his hands once more. However, this didn't cause his enemies to act like they did before. They didn't react at all. He raised his blade to block an attack while Arturia countered the other's attack. This time, she was facing the spear-user, while he faced the one with the sword.

Meanwhile, Agravain was gone. Disappeared. This began to worry Arturia, as she knew how he fought. Though her spear-wielding opponent was no slouch, it was just like before; If she didn't give more effort than necessary, her opponent wouldn't either. So, she had plenty of time to call out to Shirō. "Shirō! Agravain is an Assassin, he fights from the shadows!"

Just as she called out, Agravain struck at Shirō, cutting into his arm before retreating quickly, avoiding Shirō's stunningly quick counterattack. Blood ran down his arm, dripping onto the ground below as he worked to defend himself from two opponents. Shirō noted that Agravain was almost completely invisible while in darkness, the glint of his blade being the only warnings before he struck.

As Shirō got faster in his counterattacks, so did both phantom-servants. This, coupled with fighting Agravain, who was by all accounts just as dangerous as the previous Assassin-Class servant they once fought, made it incredibly difficult to make any progress or gain momentum.

Shirō and Arturia eventually came back-to-back as their opponents circled. Shirō had taken several hits, but thanks to Avalon the oldest of them were already healing. Even still, the pain remained as a constant hum. It was a pain he was intimately familiar with. Within that pain lied several entire lifetimes worth of fighting.

"I don't think we have much of a choice," Shirō started "If we keep going like this, we're either going to be worn down or draw unwanted attention."

Arturia nodded. "What is the plan?"

"So far they've been able to match our output, but their weapons aren't Noble Phantasms. Their armor isn't magical. If I didn't know any better I'd say they were just extremely advanced humans."

She nodded again, agreeing with him, closely watching as their enemies circled around and Agravain lurked in the shadows. Shirō couldn't see him, but she could. "Then perhaps we shouldn't give them any time to match us."

"That's the plan." Shirō said.

The King of Knights gripped the hilt of her holy sword firmly. "I'll follow your lead, Shirō."

There were no houses around. No occupied buildings. It was a long, empty street. Both Caliburn and Excalibur would scorch the earth. Excalibur would leave a much larger mark. Shirō knew that if their plan failed, they would be in trouble. Still, it was the only plan they had. Shirō focused inwardly, calling forth the power of Arcurant. However, instead of The Sword, he wanted The Armor. He already had Caliburn. That's all he needed.

A golden light appeared, surrounding his body. Its shine was so bright that it made Agravain clearly visible, banishing the shadows he relied upon. There was a flash, and the light dimmed considerably. Around Shirō's body was Arcurant, taking the form of armor, yet retaining its blade-like qualities. The fairy runes glowed brightly.

Shirō's very body became a blade in that moment. A sword. Something that was meant to be used in battle, meant to defeat his enemies. Meant to protect himself and others. Despite being covered in armor, he felt light. He felt like he could beat Rider in a sprint. Likewise, he felt strong. Stronger than before. Even stronger still than the first time he called Arcurant.

"Now." Shirō said.

The swirling vortex that once hid Arturia's blade picked up speed before being blasted away, revealing Excalibur's golden blade. It shined brightly, in unison with Shirō's Caliburn. The phantom-servants screeched, where as Agravain basked in the glow. His King's strike would free him from his servitude to that _woman._

**" _CALI-"_**

**" _EX-"_**

Their blades hummed, the energy within them welling up to a critical point. Their shine brightened. Together, they brought down their blades, intent on ending this fight.

**" _BURN!"_**

**" _CALIBUR!"_**

Twin pillars of intensely bright energy rocketed into the night sky, scorching the very ground beneath them. Nothing was spared.

As the glow of the attacks faded away, Shirō and Arturia could see what remained. They were filled with a sense of dread. The two phantom-servants still stood, their armor steaming from the intense heat it was just subjected to. Agravain was gone, but those two remained.

"H-How?" Shirō asked, not believing his eyes. Their attacks would have done-in just about any servant shy of Berserker or Gilgamesh.

However, the phantom-servants were stood still, unmoving. Then, from the sword-wielding one, a voice came. A hoarse voice that sounded like their vocal chords had been torn to shreds. It sounded like a fight to even speak two words.

"My King?"

Arturia's eyes widened further. Even with the strain, she knew that voice. She now knew why these two were so familiar, but only knew the identity of one of them.

"Gawain?" She muttered, voice full of emotion.

And, just like that, the two phantom-servants were gone. They faded away into the night.

Shirō and Arturia turned to each other. His face was a sorrowful one. He knew that this would be difficult for her. Hers was a regretful one. Regret that she once thought herself rid of. In that moment, Shirō reached out for her, pulling her to him. She didn't fight it. She simply buried her head into his chest. They both knew that they'd be seeing more of them. They both knew who was behind all of this.

* * *

Back at the Temple, in chains, Agravain was screaming. He had been so close to being released from his unwilling servitude, and yet it was ripped away from him when that _witch_ teleported him back before any damage could be done. Not only that, but his King releasing the power of Excalibur had been part of her plan.

As soon as the other two returned, he knew. They were different. Before, they were but mere pawns. Hollow shells, controlled by Morgan le Fay and her newest Puppet, Medea. However, the twin blasts from both Excalibur and Caliburn had somehow restored some of what was lost to time. Not everything; They were still under the control of Morgan. But, their own fighting prowess had returned. They wouldn't be limited by their opponent's skill next time.

Not only that, but their weapons had absorbed the excess energy. They now had the appearance of their Noble Phantasms. There still wasn't any inherent power within them, not yet, but they were well on their way.

She had already left, but he could still hear her cruel laugh. He could still feel her hold on him, on his very soul. He had betrayed her once before, when he was still alive. She wouldn't allow it to happen again.

His original summoner, a Servant herself, Medea was still in the room with him. She looked at him with pity. It was veiled behind disgust that came from Morgan telling her what he had done, that he had betrayed her, but it was there.

"I don't understand you, Agravain," She spoke "You're already a betrayer. Why not betray your King? Why not serve _her_ instead?"

Agravain sighed. "My King is not like Morgan. My King holds no evil within. Even after I learned of My King's true nature as a woman, I could not bring myself to hate her. She is the light in the dark night. The very moon itself."

Medea huffed. "That doesn't answer the question."

"I cannot betray her because she stands for everything that I find to be just and good, even when I have strayed from that path." He explained.

A thoughtful look crossed Medea's face. She still did not understand him. He admitted to his own faults, yet stood so firmly in defense his King, despite having differing paths. His voice roused her from her thoughts.

"You should go. _She_ will get the wrong idea if you stick around me for too long."

"Are you suggesting that Morgan would go back on our deal?" Medea asked. Agravain chuckled darkly.

"You despise me for betraying Morgan, but are ignorant to who exactly Morgan is to my King." He said, his blazing eyes meeting hers.

"And who is that, Agravain?" She asked, curious. All Morgan had told her is that she wished to kill the boy and, if at all possible, also kill his Servant. She hadn't gone into very much detail about who the Servant was.

Agravain looked down. "You should ask her."

Medea took one last look at the man bound by magical chains before leaving, deciding to file his comments away for later. Morgan had promised, when her own task was complete, to supply all the Mana necessary to summon the Grail so she could have her wish granted. Still, his words had made her curious.

For now, she'd return to her future husband. Morgan's latest summoning was a quarter of the way complete, but she was already low on Mana. She'd need to restore what was used. He would be willing, of course. He loved her, after all.

* * *

Outside of the Temple, far away, Archer was perched on the branch of a tree. He had detected an incredibly powerful Bounded Field when he first approached the temple. More powerful than anything he had ever experienced, or so he could remember. He had circled the Temple, careful as to not trespass beyond the field, and come to find that there were absolutely no openings he could exploit.

So he watched and waited to see just who it was that set up the field. Initially, he had sensed a singular Servant residing in the Temple. However, as he witnessed more and more strange occurrences, he came to realize that there was definitely more than one Servant within the Temple, and that made him nervous. Because, in all his time as a Counter Guardian, he came to realize that a singular immensely powerful entity could mask the presence of other, lesser beings.

So he had no way to know just how many Servants were housed within the Temple. He had yet to see any of them. Archer was intent upon figuring out this mystery. One of the many that plagued his mind with questions. He was distinctly aware that things were not how they should be, but at the same time his own memory was so fragmented that he couldn't recall important details on his own. He hadn't remembered Rin's name or face until he saw her and she told him her name. He hadn't remembered Saber at all, even though she clearly played a critical role in him becoming who he was.

Something very wrong was going on, and he was going to get to the bottom of it. Though he detested it, he still had a duty to fulfill as a Counter Guardian. _Then_ he would kill Emiya Shirō.

* * *

In Merlin's prison, he watched a projection of the very first time Arcurant changed shape from Sword to Armor. It replayed over and over. His eyes were glued to the screen in an uncharacteristic fashion. His gaze saw more than any human eyes could hope to see. He analyzed the event a thousand times. Try as he might, he couldn't figure out _how. How_ it happened.

Merlin played a large part in giving physical form to Arcurant. Not as much as Shirō thought, but still a significant role. He had infused his own magic into the blade, tempering it. He knew every detail of the blade by heart. Or, that was what he thought before seeing Arcurant change shape.

He knew something was not as it seemed the second he saw that Shirō was able to use Kiritsugu's techniques. He chalked it up to a bi-product of tampering with time. After all, it gave him an edge that he could make good use of. Once Vivian left, questions burned in his mind.

Arcurant, The Sword, was supposed to be stronger. It should have completely annihilated Berserker. Vivian had said conditions had to be met. That meant she knew of things beyond his own understanding of Arcurant. That meant she knew that Arcurant could change shape.

_How,_ then? He was no fool. Vivian was a fairy. She was immensely powerful. But, even she had her limits. The Armor was something unexpected, more so than anything else. Not only that, it was strong. It was strong like The Sword was supposed to be. Stronger, even. But it was not The Sword. It was not given form to clash with Ea. No, something else had tampered with their combined efforts.

He couldn't be entirely sure, but he held the suspicion that Vivian knew exactly what it was. She was crafty. Devious, at times. But, he knew her. She held no ill-intent towards Arturia or Shirō. Far from it. Perhaps she had decided to throw the odds a little more in their favor by contacting some outside source.

Merlin could almost visualize that source. Its name was on the tip of his tongue. However, it eluded him. Every time he got close to figuring it out, his mind clouded and it became unknown to him once more. It was not harming him. It wasn't malicious.

Rather, that's what he hoped.


	5. Vacillation

_"How can I destroy my weakness? 'Cause I wanna be stronger - I need to keep them all safe, but I lack the power"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 4: Vacillation**

Fire burned everything around him. Flames lashed out, grabbing onto everything in its reach. Smoke filled his lungs as he struggled to breathe. He could feel himself getting weaker by the second. Everything was gone, consumed by the unnatural fire. Even his memories.

All he remembered was his own first name. Shirō. He stumbled forwards blindly, the intense combination of heat, fire and smoke obscuring his vision. The only thing that was clear was an open path out of the hell he was in. It was as if some powerful force cleared that path for him. He didn't question it, only wanting to escape what threatened to erase his very existence.

As Shirō got closer to what seemed like an exit, he could make out a womanly figure. He couldn't see any actual features other than white hair. She was beckoning him to her. Shirō moved forwards, buildings behind him collapsing as he made his way past. The closer he came, the less pain he felt. He reached her after what felt like hours. She gently placed a hand on his head as if to comfort him. Then, darkness overtook his vision.

When he opened his eyes again, someone was grabbing him, pulling him upwards. It was a man. He looked happy, though Shirō didn't know why. His mouth was moving, but Shirō couldn't hear anything being said. He could see tears running down his face, and yet he was still happy.

In that moment, Shirō felt jealous. He couldn't remember anything from his past, but he knew he had never been that happy before. His head rolled to the side and he saw the woman again, standing behind the man. She, too, had a smile on her face. However, hers was a sad one. She said something to him, but he still couldn't hear anything.

Then she was gone.

* * *

Shirō woke suddenly, recalling parts of a memory that had been missing. Careful as to not disturb Arturia, who clung to him as she slept, he raised an arm to lightly clutch his head. Who was that woman? Why had he forgotten her? Why was he remembering now?

It was still early morning. The sun hadn't yet breached the horizon. Shirō tried to relax, but with the memory of the woman came the memory of the pain he felt. Though the fire had somehow left him unburnt, he still felt the heat. He vividly remembered the feeling of being within that blaze. It wasn't hot. It wasn't even warm. It was just painful. All other senses were shut out, replaced by the intense feeling of pain.

"Shirō?"

He looked to Arturia, who was awake now. She didn't look like she got much sleep. After they got home, she all but collapsed in his arms. She kept apologizing for appearing so weak, but he assured her time and time again that she was anything _but_ weak. He promised that they'd deal with their problems together.

"Sorry. Bad dream." He said. He didn't want to reveal what he had remembered. They both already had enough to worry about.

The look he got was telling at just how well she knew him. She knew he wasn't telling the whole truth. Yet, she kept quiet. She didn't need to say anything. The look was enough.

"We can talk about it later," He started "for now, let's focus on starting the day right. With a shower."

Despite her usual calm and collected nature, Arturia blushed.

* * *

"Morgan won't stop. Not unless we make her." Arturia said, scrubbing Shirō's back. There was a small blush on her face. She and Shirō were closer than they ever had been before, as if their very souls were intertwined, but she was still unused to feeling like a _woman_. Something that he made her feel simply by being close to her.

Shirō nodded. "Merlin warned me that might be the case. I'll be honest, I don't actually know much about her, so I don't know what kind of power she holds." Shirō was less embarrassed by their closeness. That was partly because, within his memory, he had been with her many times. He likened it to a sunset. Though one might see it a thousand times, each time is special. This was no different.

"She is more powerful than any person has the right to be, spirit or not. She's tampered with time just as Merlin has, but on a larger scale. Gawain and Agravain are proof of that." Arturia said, clenching her jaw. She felt more angry at Morgan now than she did when Camelot still existed. Morgan was lost to her own power, and now she was using her once loyal knights against her.

"Even if her power didn't continue to grow after I was gone, she's still Merlin's equal. With her summoning her own servants, however unwilling they are, she's the biggest threat this war has." Arturia explained.

Shirō was deep in thought. It was clear that they'd need help to take down Morgan, but Archer was an enemy himself. Rider might be willing to help, but that would endanger Sakura. Lancer was out so long as Kotomine was his Master. Caster was a wildcard. Ilya and Berserker.. they'd be a tremendous help, but Ilya was still set on killing just about everything that was between him and her.

Suddenly, the blank visage of the white-haired woman from his dreams flashed through his mind and his head throbbed. Shirō blinked. Was there a connection between Ilya and the woman? They did both have white hair. Ilya was Kiritsugu's father. Was the woman her mother? His adoptive father never said anything about his previous family.

His thoughts were interrupted by Arturia hugging him from behind, her arms wrapping around his front. He was distinctly aware of her breasts pressed against his back, but his renewed teenage hormones took a backseat. He placed his hands on hers and squeezed gently.

"How are we going to stop her?" She asked, her voice nothing more than a whisper.

Shirō wished he had a concrete answer. But, he didn't. He had no first-hand knowledge of Morgan's true abilities. He didn't know how she fought, what kind of magic she used, or what her weaknesses were. He wouldn't know until they faced her. Arcurant was powerful, but he was unsure what might happen if it were to directly clash with Morgan's magic. His Unlimited Blade Works might be a huge advantage if she didn't know about it, but something told him that she might be prepared for such an event where Shirō was within range to pull her in.

Even then, he could probably overwhelm her. He had access to more blades than ever before. However, he held onto the hope that his words would get through to her. Merlin said that her own power had consumed her. From experience, he knew that it was possible to break free of such a thing. That all hinged on whether or not she _wanted_ to free herself from her own darkness. Morgan, for better or worse, was family to Arturia. Shirō knew better than most how important family was, despite not remembering his own biological family. He'd do everything in his power to help restore what was left of Arturia's family.

A dark thought crept into his mind, remnants of a past life. _'But if she cannot be reasoned with, I will grant her a swift death. I will not allow her to take away this chance I've been given.'_

* * *

Rin was not happy with Archer. He had scouted the Temple for way, way longer than she originally ordered and then had the audacity to tell her that she "wasn't ready for whatever was hiding inside that temple".

She fell back to saying that, if she wasn't ready, then neither was he. However, he merely scoffed at her, which only further angered her. She felt tempted to use her last remaining Command Seal, but decided against it. To her surprise, he suggested that "Perhaps that useless Master and his Servant might be of some use" for when they follow up on their investigation.

"Oh, so _now_ you're okay with teaming up with Shirō?" Rin said, narrowing her eyes at her Servant.

Archer gave a hollow-sounding laugh. "No. He's still useless. His Servant, on the other hand, would at least be of _some_ use."

Rin bristled at his comment. That was cold, even for him. They had yet to see either Shirō or Saber actually fight, so Archer so casually dismissing them wasn't something she could just let go.

"Why do you dislike them so much, Archer?"

One eye opened to regard her with the look a parent might give a child for asking a 'dumb' question. "Only one Servant can win this war. What happens if it comes down between us and them?"

Rin didn't answer, choosing instead to look away from him. In truth, she hadn't really planned that far ahead. From his words, Shirō seemed like he would be completely fine conceding if it were down to the two of them. Yet, she could remember a certain fire in his eyes that was more intense than anything she had seen before. His Servant, Saber, was no slouch, either.

"So then what _should_ we do?"

Archer hummed. "Isn't it obvious? Send them in first. If they're killed, we deal with whatever is hiding in that Temple after they've been weakened."

Rin glared at him, not liking his suggestion. He raised a hand, conceding to his Master. "Or, we could both go in. The bounded field is too strong to sneak in. We'd have to go through the entrance, which would be expected by whatever is hiding in there."

"You keep speaking as if it's not a Servant. Is something else inside the Temple?"

Archer remained quiet. In truth, he didn't really have an answer. It could be a Servant, albeit one that was more powerful than anything he had encountered before. Or, it could be something else. Both options were not pleasant to think about. However, there were definitely multiple _things_ residing within that Temple. He didn't want to endanger Rin, but there was no way she'd let him go by himself. At the very least, Emiya Shirō would make a decent meat shield.

" _Something_ is inside that Temple. Even if it isn't a Servant, it is a threat that needs to be eliminated." Archer said.

* * *

Compared to what had occurred the previous night, breakfast was a fairly dull affair. Sakura hadn't shown up, which while not unexpected, the lack of her presence at the table was somewhat unsettling. Shirō's mind thought up several dozen worse-case scenarios before Taiga casually mentioned that Sakura had called her so she could inform Shirō that she wouldn't be able to make it due to personal matters. Shirō and Arturia shared a look, both thinking the same thing. With Rider now watching over her, it would be difficult for her to go about her day-to-day life. Rider would likely refuse to take 'spirit' form in favor of staying corporeal to more quickly combat any presented threats, which would make her presence difficult to explain.

After Taiga left with her stomach full and none the wiser, Arturia tried to convince Shirō to stay home. He could tell that she feared him being attacked again. But, he reassured her that, if need be, he'd use a Command Seal to quickly summon her should such a thing happen, unlikely as it may be.

Shirō could tell that the events of the previous night weighed on her heavily. She hid it well, but he could see past her facade. The thought of her former comrades, her Knights being forcefully conscripted by Morgan was not something that was easy for her to reconcile with. They were the closest thing to family she had before she passed away and was taken in by the Grail. She had said as much in a previous life, the one they shared.

The hours spent at school that followed were equally as dull as breakfast had been. Both Shinji and Sakura were absent. Suzuki-sensei was present, but he didn't have any classes with him. For a few short hours, he was reminded of the life he had before the Holy Grail War. Before Arturia. It felt cold. Empty.

Rin had brought him out of his slump to discuss the Temple. She had relayed Archer's observations, that _something_ was inside, and that the Temple was too heavily warded to get in any way but the front. As much as he wanted to discuss strategy with her, without Arturia present to give her input it wouldn't be a very sound plan, and he told her as such.

Rin had been a little peeved at him seemingly dismissing her competence, but quickly realized that he was doing it more for safety's sake than anything else. A Servant as powerful as Saber would obviously have valuable input, though she knew Archer would likely disagree. However, without Archer there to influence her decisions, she agreed to meet him over the weekend to discuss the plan. It was a full day's wait and wasn't ideal if they wanted to get the jump on whatever was residing in the Temple, but it was the safer decision.

Arturia had been right outside the school gates waiting for him. She was obviously worried about him, and about them being attacked on the way home. He could tell by her posture and by the way her eyes scanned everything around them. She wasn't expecting it when his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Shirō?"

He looked down to her, smiling softly and reassuringly. "If we're going to walk together, we should walk _together._ "

"But-"

He cut her off, putting a finger to her lips. "You want to know why I'm not worried, right?" He asked. Above them, with the sun long gone, the clouds gave way to the moon. Its light was the only one visible in the darkness surrounding them.

"So long as you stand by me, there isn't a single thing in this world I'm afraid of. Not Berserker, not Gilgamesh, and not Morgan. So long as I have you, I have the ability to fight for myself. You don't have to be worried about me. When we get home, I'll prove that to you."

"Prove it to me...?"

He nodded. "You remember our spars in the dojo, right?"

* * *

Inside the depths of Ryuudo Temple, another summoning was taking place. The summoning circle glowed with a sinister red light which was the only illumination the room had, the electrical lights long since burnt out thanks to the supernatural forces at work. The ritual itself was paused for the time being as both Medea and Morgan needed time to recover Mana to complete the summoning.

The two women sat there in meditative silence as they took in the excess Mana pouring out of the Ley Line that Mount Enzou was built upon. It was slower than extracting Mana from living beings, but it had no risk associated to it, as the bounded field that Morgan constructed was more than enough to keep unwanted guests from discovering what they were doing without them being warned in advance.

Morgan knew that other participants in the war had deduced that there was at least one Servant residing within the Temple, but none were brave enough to confirm their findings. Not even the Servant which preformed a good deal of recon was stupid enough to poke his nose in _her_ business.

However, Medea had questions that went unanswered. Ever since her 'chat' with Agravain, she wondered just kind of relation there was between that boy, his Servant, and Morgan herself. Every attempt at leading the conversations they had, however brief they may be, down that path was met with extremely strong resistance. Morgan wasn't interested in sharing, and while Medea might normally look the other way, Agravain's words burned in her mind.

"This one is certainly taking a lot of Mana to summon. Is he truly worth the trouble, Morgan?"

The woman in question didn't move, nor did she even open her eyes when she answered. "Yes. He once almost single-handedly brought our target to her knees. Were it not for Gawain and his weapon, she might have fallen to him on that day." Her tone was cruel as ever, as was her smile.

"Speaking of weapons, I find it hard to believe you knew what would come of your pawn's weapons last night." Medea said, gauging Morgan's reaction closely.

Morgan frowned and her eyebrows scrunched up, but still her eyes did not open, nor did any other part of her body move, other than her mouth. "Very perceptive of you. It is true that I was unaware their weapons would change as they themselves changed, but it is not an unwanted result. They will no longer be held back by the skill of others, and their weapons will serve to demoralize that wretched woman, and that boy if he knows anything about them."

Medea left it there. She didn't want to push her luck with the questions, not now that Morgan had begun to trust her. She'd find out in due time. Still, her curiosity remained. Medea figured that she would pay Agravain another visit in his cell as soon as Morgan gave her time to rest.

* * *

Arturia and Shirō made it home safely and without incident. Shirō surmised that their combined attacks must have had _some_ effect. They had a few hours before either Taiga or Sakura might show up for dinner, which gave Shirō more than enough time to make good on his promise of ensuring her that he was more than capable of taking care of himself. They dressed-down into two training uniforms and took their positions in the dojo.

Shirō had reinforced the training weapons to ensure that they'd stand up to the forces they were about to be subjected to. For the first time since being pulled backwards through time, Arturia had the chance to look at Shirō while he had a weapon in his hand without any distractions. She could tell by the way he held himself that he was no longer a boy or incompetent Magus.

As they took their stances, she noticed that he wasn't tracing the skill of any other warrior. He didn't choose a second weapon to mirror Archer's style, either. He was rigid where necessary and limber where it counted. She wanted to comment on this, to praise him for coming so far as a warrior, but he surprised her once more by taking the initiative.

Shirō had set the rules of the spar as he was preparing the weapons. No magic, period. It would be just their martial prowess being tested against one another. She'd know if he cheated, and he would likely be able to tell if she did, as well. So when he moved, she could hardly believe it. He wasn't moving so fast that she couldn't track his movements, but he was moving faster than anyone with a human body had the right to.

Their weapons clashed as she blocked his attack, causing a small shockwave to come from the sudden contact. For a single second, Arturia was lost to her thoughts of both his sudden speed and strength. He hadn't had the chance to use it thanks to the nature of their opponents, but here in the dojo he wasn't limiting himself.

That single second of thought was costly, as Shirō not only noticed her lapse, but capitalized upon it, earning first 'blood' with a light slash on her midsection after breaking her guard.

"I told you," He started, moving back to his starting position, ignoring the look of shock on her face "I'm going to show you that you don't need to worry about me." He turned and she saw the smile on his face. It was kind, but it was also challenging. It ignited a fire in her that was matched with similar gusto by Shirō.

"Very well. I'll take this more seriously, then." She said, returning to her starting position and taking up her stance once more.

* * *

Illyasveil von Einzbern was staring at her Servant, confused. For the first time in a very long time, she didn't fully understand what was going on. Berserker no longer held a dead, lifeless look in his eyes that came with the Madness Enhancement she kept him in. Instead, his eyes showed signs of intelligence.

She'd tried talking to him since she first noticed the change, but he was still incapable of forming words. However, he seemed to understand much more of what was going on around him now. He was no longer reliant upon her directing him and moved and acted upon his own, though still constrained, free will.

Illya looked down at the tissue in her hands. She had been crying and he had crossed the room to fetch her a tissue. He had never done that before. Before, he had been little more than a weapon. She'd bonded with him during the two months of training they'd gone through, but his own Madness prevented him from being able to show such acts of kindness on his own volition.

That was before she had confronted Shirō. Ever since that bright flash of light, Berserker had been different. After he had regained his stock of lives, Illya knew that it wasn't a side-effect. The fact that her Onii-chan had been able to take away so many in the first place not only shocked her, it scared her. At first, she thought that it might have been the sword he had pulled out of thin air, but she felt that the sword was merely a catalyst. After all, it didn't match the description of any legendary weapon that would have been able to deal such a blow to Berserker. She'd done her homework, after all.

Then there was Shirō's use of their father's magecraft. He shouldn't have been able to do that. Yet, he did. Then, he used that sword of his to take away four of Berserker's lives.

"What happened to you, Berserker?"

* * *

Arturia had never seen this side of Shirō before. Not like what she was seeing now. They'd been sparring for almost two whole hours and Shirō showed no signs of fatigue. Plenty of sweat, but no heavy breathing or sloppy stance to accompany it. Even his heartbeat, which she could feel through their link, was nice and calm. The expression on his face was the same, calm and collected.

He hadn't once traced the skill of someone else. When she began probing his weaknesses, he'd just change things up _just enough_ so that she couldn't do it again, but no so much that it was completely different to how he had been fighting before.

Another thing she noticed was that his weapon's weaknesses in reach, flexibility, and length, which they were both burdened by as they had the same kind, were not hindering him in the slightest. What he held in his hands was no mere weapon, but an extension of himself. This meant that he had mastered not only the basics, but the advanced levels of swordsmanship to a degree that most mortals could only dream of. If she had to guess, she'd say that he was hindered only by his own mortal body. Were he not bound by such restrictions, she could believe him to rival even the greatest Heroic Spirits when it came to swordsmanship.

That wasn't to say he didn't have any faults. For one, he relied upon the enemy to let him know when they had discovered a hole in his defense. This meant that he needed to be faster than the person he was facing to avoid any fatal blows and instead only receive minor wounds. That was not only dangerous, but a fatal flaw, were he to come across someone both quicker and smarter than him.

Another fault, though some might not call it that, was that he was almost _too_ versatile. He had a lot of ways to keep an opponent busy and guessing, but that only works so long as his opponent doesn't have so much brute strength that they can just plow through him. Someone like Berserker would, as Shirō was fighting now, make short work of him. He switched things up a bit too quickly, which meant that while he might have a better chance at finding an opening, it gave him less time to figure out what might be a winning strategy.

Of course, both these faults would be lessened were this a real fight and he wasn't bound by rules or a training weapon. She had no doubt that, against most opponents, Shirō could very well be the victor. If it came down to it, he could always overwhelm them with his Unlimited Blade Works, however reluctant he seemed to be on relying upon the skill of others.

Something that surprised her was that, every once in a while, she'd catch him smiling. He wasn't just enjoying their spar, but he was enjoying the fight itself. The Shirō she knew didn't enjoy the act of fighting. Arturia reminded herself on more than one occasion that the Shirō before her was _much_ more than the Shirō she knew. She didn't dislike the change. She, too, was enjoying their spar. Not just because it was with him, but because it was with someone who could genuinely keep up with her. Though she might have been holding back the capabilities provided to her as a Servant, she was holding none of her martial skill back by this point.

Shirō noticed the contemplative look on her face. "We should probably stop for now. It's getting close to dinner time and I'm not sure whether or not Sakura is coming over tonight, but I'll bet Fuji-nee will."

Arturia looked over to the clock on the wall and nodded her head in agreement. She'd lost track of time. "Very well." She placed her training sword on the rack, followed by Shirō. It was a testament to how far he had come that his reinforcement on them had lasted as long as they did under the stress they had put them through.

"So, did you want the first shower?" Shirō asked.

A pink hue rose to the surface of her cheeks. "It would save time to shower together."

To his credit, Shirō managed to keep his face from going completely red despite his renewed teenage hormones.

* * *

Arturia insisted that she help with preparing dinner. Shirō was happy to have the help, and he found it fun to teach her something for a change, instead of it being the other way around. She was a quick learner after he showed her how to properly cut with a kitchen knife.

Shirō found himself just looking at her for a few moments, taking in and memorizing everything about her at that time. Dressed in her white and blue outfit with her hair down, with a small smile on her face as she quietly hummed to herself a tune he was sure she wasn't answer she was humming. It was almost as if they were just another couple, living a completely normal life.

His mind wandered a bit and he started to think of what that could be like. Just the two of them. No more magic, no more war. He could see himself becoming a chef. Or a repairman. Something that required his hands. Arturia could open a dojo, become a teacher, or do anything she set her mind to, really.

They could live a peaceful life together, often having friends over for dinner, just like what they were preparing for in that very moment. Maybe even start a family of their own.

"Is something wrong, Shirō?"

Arturia's words shook him back to reality and he realized he was staring at her. Instead of being embarrassed as a past Shirō might be, however, he merely smiled at her softly.

"No. Nothing is wrong at all, Arturia." His words sounded strange to her, like he was speaking to her from another reality. But, they held such a gentle and loving tone that she couldn't stop her cheeks from changing color.

A knock at the door told them that they had a visitor, and that it was probably Sakura. Taiga didn't knock. Shirō took over for Arturia while she went to greet their guest.

Opening the door changed her mood, however. Shirō couldn't see who was at the door, but Arturia was no longer smiling, and she no longer had the glow she did moments before. The drastic change in mood came so suddenly that Shirō could feel it, as if the room itself dropped in temperature to well below freezing.

Arturia invited their _guests_ inside and Shirō knew instantly what had brought about this sudden change. It wasn't Sakura's presence, but Rider's. She was dressed in a dark pair of pants and a heavy sweater that did little to hide her _assets._ Her eyes weren't hidden and the mark on her head was gone, but her _true_ eyes were still sealed.

"Ah, I hope I'm not imposing Senpai, but a family friend is staying with me and after I told her about you she wanted to meet you herself." Sakura said. This told Shirō that she still didn't know about his or Arturia's involvement in the war.

Shirō stumbled a bit before answering, not used to Rider's sudden presence in his own home. "No, uh, it's fine. We've made more than enough to-"

He was cut off mid-sentence as Taiga opened the door and walked in, not paying attention to anyone else in the room as she yawned and stretched. "Oh Shirō, you wouldn't believe the day I had! Those brats in second period kept-" Taiga was interrupted as she bumped into Rider, not having opened her eyes in time to see her.

"Oof, I'm sorry, I-" Taiga opened her eyes to see who she bumped into, only to realize it was someone she hadn't seen before. Someone she hadn't seen before in Shirō's house. Someone she hadn't seen before, in Shirō's house, who was a _woman._ Her head snapped in Shirō's direction "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? WHY DO YOU KEEP BRINGING GIR- WOMEN HOME WITH YOU, EMIYA?" She yelled comically.

Rider, for her part, looked more confused than embarrassed.

* * *

"The next summoning is almost complete."

Agravain didn't look up. Shackled by his wrists to the wall, he continued to stare at the floor, his face hidden by his disheveled hair and the darkness of his cell. He hadn't moved an inch since their last 'talk'.

Medea looked at her Servant with a curious expression. "Morgan hasn't said as much, but she's planning on attacking that boy and your King once it is complete."

Agravain said nothing. Medea frowned at the lack of a reaction, approaching the cell. "She's tired of playing with them. She's going to use all of you against them."

"It won't be enough." His voice was little more than a whisper, but she heard his words clearly.

"What makes you think they'll be able to stand against the five of you? Morgan says this next one is a _**dragon**._"

Her question was met with more silence, which irritated her. For a moment, she thought about punishing him, but decided against it. Morgan did enough of that for the both of them.

"You call her your King. I don't recognize her name, nor do I recognize yours, or the others'. Morgan is careful with which questions she answers. She hasn't told me who your King is to her, only that she was wronged by her."

Agravain chuckled lowly, surprising Medea as he was otherwise fairly despondent. "My King did not wrong Morgan. Fate and circumstance wronged her. She is too blinded by rage and anger to see that, though."

He wasn't wrong. Medea could tell that Morgan's driving force and motivations relied heavily upon her barely contained anger and rage. However, her emotions and her power were connected. It was as if they played off of each other, one side amplifying the other and vice-versa. The fact that Medea's reserves were being drained so quickly for this summoning and that Morgan was already controlling three other Servants was proof of that.

"She is jealous, Medea. Not just of my King, but of you as well."

Medea blinked. "Jealous of me? Why?"

"Because you have someone to love, and that someone loves you in return. She has nothing but her own wicked power."

Her face changed from curiosity to shock. However, before she could react, he spoke again. "I am an Assassin. Reading people is part of what I do best. That is why I know you trusting her will end badly for you."

* * *

Even after Sakura explained Rider's presence, Taiga continued to look at the woman suspiciously. Though, she wasn't the only one. Arturia was just as unhappy about Rider's presence as Taiga was. Not only was this an incredible risk of revealing Shirō's part in the war, it was, in Arturia's mind, inappropriate. She didn't like Rider and she didn't like Rider being near Shirō.

Arturia's opinion of Rider was abundantly clear to Shirō. He wasn't a fan of the situation, either. But Rider seemed to ignore Arturia, instead choosing to ask Shirō questions that were more or less innocuous, but given who and what she was, strange. She seemed to have taken an interest in him and Shirō wasn't quite sure that was a good thing. After all, he knew what had happened last time Rider took an _interest_ in him.

Rider enjoyed Shirō's cooking. It was easily the best thing she had eaten since the start of the war. The smell of it was just as good as the taste. It was almost good enough to cause her to overlook the fact that, despite having taken a shower, his Servant's smell was all over him, and his was all over her. This only further confirmed what she had seen the other night.

"So Shirō, what do you plan to do after you graduate?" She asked, digging into the enigma that was Emiya Shirō.

Shirō was quiet for a moment before answering, taking time to think of an appropriate answer. "Well, one of the things I'm thinking about doing is becoming a Chef. I've always enjoyed cooking and nobody has complained so far."

"Yes, I can see that. You're quite delicious." Rider said, nodding in agreement.

Both Taiga and Arturia shared a knowing look, where as Shirō was completely oblivious to what exactly was just said.

"You mean the food is delicious." Taiga said, a hard edge to her voice that promised pain if the response wasn't what she wanted it to be.

"Hm? Oh, yes. The food."

Meanwhile, both Sakura and Shirō were feeling fairly awkward after realizing what was said initially. Shirō more so than Sakura. He was more uncomfortable now than he was when Sakura and Rider first showed up. Sparing a glance at Arturia, Shirō noticed that, under the table, her hands had balled up into fists, the whites of the knuckles showing clearly through the skin.

He stealthily slid his hand over hers, ensuring her that she wasn't alone in wanting this awkward situation to end as soon as possible.

* * *

Dinner at Shirō's ended without any further awkwardness, thanks to Taiga's intervention with small-talk about work. Sakura's face was still red, recalling what Rider had said about Shirō, or rather, his cooking.

"I apologize for my misuse of words." Rider had said. But, something told her that it wasn't a misuse at all. Though, she couldn't think of why Rider would be interested in Shirō that way after just meeting him. Perhaps it was meant to be a joke?

Either way, Sakura was glad that it was over. As they walked back to the Matou family home, Rider commented on Shirō's behavior, saying he was not what she was expecting.

"What were you expecting?"

Rider took some time to choose her words carefully. "He was.. more honest than I thought he would be."

Sakura wanted to question her further, but something else interrupted them. A man was walking towards them, a red spear propped over one shoulder. Even being as naive and untrained as she was, Sakura knew this to be a Servant. Rider put herself between the two of them, already in her battle gear.

"Sorry, ladies. My Master didn't tell me I would be fighting women. If he had, it would've been more difficult to get me to find you two." He said. His tone implied he was genuine in not wanting to fight them.

Rider was already going through several plans to draw this Servant away from Sakura so she could fight more freely and openly without having to worry about her.

"Um, Servant-san, if you don't want to fight, would you please let us go?" Sakura asked, hopeful that this Servant would be willing to overlook them for the time being.

This gave Lancer pause before letting out a loud, warm laugh, needing to use his spear to keep him from doubling over. After a few moments, he pulled himself together and looked up at them with a smile on his face. "Hehe, I wasn't expecting that. But as much as it pains me to admit, my Master wouldn't be very kind to me if I were to just let you go."

"Perhaps you'd be willing to fight me honorably, then. No Master is a challenge for a Servant. Fight me and leave her alone." Rider said. By his posture and attitude, it was clear to her that he was more than confident in his abilities. That wasn't good for her or Sakura, so she relied upon a method she learned from Shirō. Using words to challenge his honor, if he had any.

Lancer nodded, agreeing to her terms. "I was told not to touch your Master anyways. Go home, girl." He finished, addressing Sakura directly.

"But.. Rider-"

Rider looked over her shoulder, though her eyes were concealed by that black blindfold. "Go, Sakura. I'll be fine."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but Sakura did as she was told. She ran.

Lancer watched as the girl disappeared from eyesight. Then, turning his gaze upon the girl's Servant, his warm eyes turned cold before adopting a fighting stance, his menacing red spear glowing under the streetlight. "It would be unfair not to tell you who I am before we fight, since I know all about you, Medusa."

That put Rider on edge. An opponent who knew her had an incredible advantage over her if they played their cards right. She relied upon her opponents not knowing anything about her, and yet both that boy and this man and his Master knew of her. That didn't speak well for how this fight was going to go.

"My class is that of the Lancer. In life, I was known as the Cú Chulainn. You'd be wise to avoid my Spear."

The moment his sentence ended, he shot towards her in an incredible display of speed. Rider was just barely fast enough to dodge his initial thrust, flipping and spinning to avoid those that followed before landing gracefully on the ground behind him.

Lancer tilted his head, clearly impressed. "I was told you'd be fast, but words do you no justice."

Rider smirked before launching her own attack, her daggers flying towards the Child of Light. He deflected them easily, but the chains that followed weren't so easy. One chain managed to wrap around his ankle and as he was untangling himself from it, she was on him again, her daggers back in her hands, ready to strike.

Acting quickly, Lancer smashed the chain on his ankle and jumped away, but not before one of her daggers carved deep into his side, drawing first blood. It was in that moment he realized she was faster than he was. Pressing a hand to his side and bringing it up for confirmation, he smirked once again. This would prove to be an interesting fight. He looked to her to praise her combat ability, only to see she had a look of shock on her face. She was looking just over his head.

A moment of confusion almost cost him his life. Lancer looked up just in time to see a massive fist over his head on a direct course for it. On instinct and instinct alone, he carved all 18 of his magical runes into the ground, setting up a powerful Bounded Field to save him from a flat and bloody fate. The Bounded Field shattered, dispersing the force of the massive fist. Lancer jumped away to look at the interloper, only for his face to take on that of Rider's.

The being in front of them was another Servant, but it was pushing the bounds of the human form. He was a massive, dark-skinned monster. He had muscles on top of his muscles. In one hand was a barbaric looking weapon resembling a sword. To top it all off, there was a small, pale girl with red eyes riding atop his shoulders.

"Berserker! I said to be gentle! What if he's the one who knows where Onii-chan is?" The little girl yelled down at the monster beneath her. The reply she got was a grunt, but it sounded more like thunder. It was almost comical. Almost.


	6. Aberration

" _If we learn to wield our flaws, then the future will be ours"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 5: Aberration**

Arturia and Shirō sat on the hillside looking over Fuyuki on top of Mount Enzou. The grass was damp with morning dew and the sun was just coming over the horizon. The air was clean and fresh, a stark contrast to how it was just over an hour ago, when it smelled rancid and rotten. The giant mass of flesh and blood that had been birthed by the Grail was gone, as was any trace of it ever existing.

Arturia looked to her Master, noting that his wounds had already healed, as hers had. The process had used a good deal of what was left of her Mana, but she thought it was worth it. For him, as least. She had no control over her own regeneration. If she had, she'd have stayed wounded, to lengthen her stay in this world and in this time with her Master. Emiya Shirō.

Just a few weeks ago, all she cared about was winning the Grail. She had wanted to make a wish upon it to give herself, her comrades, and her kingdom a second chance. But, after seeing and hearing about what happens when a wish is made upon the Grail through her Master's dreams and words, that desire changed. Clearly, the Grail was a farce. Something that shouldn't have ever existed in the first place. She felt foolish for seeking it out.

As she spent time with Shirō, she came to care about him a great deal. Not just as a Servant, but as a _woman._ A part of her that she thought she had left behind long ago had been brought to the surface by her Master.

They had been through an awful lot together. At times, it felt like the entire war was centered around preventing their own victory, when all their victory entailed was a prevention of another horror that would come along with a wish upon the Grail. They'd been forced into some extremely tough situations, but in the end they managed to survive. Together.

Others hadn't been so lucky. They were forced to kill both Caster and her Master, who had been a teacher at Shirō's school. Assassin, who had been a pawn of Caster's, met an honorable end. She had personally dealt with Rider, who had been seducing Shirō through dreams to strengthen herself. Archer, who had been a Future Emiya Shirō in life, had met his end to his previous self. Lancer had been forced to kill himself by Kirei Kotomine, and Gilgamesh..

Gilgamesh and Kirei Kotomine were the two biggest threats to them. Gilgamesh had managed to kill both Illya and Berserker. He was in league with Kirei for some unknown reason. In the end, they were the worst they had faced. They had to be dealt with at the same time, which meant that she wouldn't be there to help Shirō if he needed it.

However, after witnessing what he was capable of with his Unlimited Blade Works, she was confident in his ability to win. At least, against lesser foes. Were it anyone other than those two, she wouldn't have worried for a second.

Both Kirei and Gilgamesh were monsters. Monsters who were smart enough to force them to fight alone. Shirō had made the case for him to be the one to fight Gilgamesh. Not only because they had similar skillsets, not only because of his constant taunting of them, but also because of what he had done to Illya.

So when he faced Gilgamesh, she was worried. All through her fight with Kirei, she was worried for him, and that had cost her several injuries that otherwise wouldn't have happened. However, when she returned to him, he was the one that was left standing. Not Gilgamesh.

Arturia could feel herself fading. Her Mana was almost completely gone. If they had more time, they might have been able to find a way to keep her from fading away, but they both knew better. She could tell by the way he was looking at her that he knew she wouldn't be with him for much longer.

She rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the last few moments of peace together. She could feel his arm around her, holding her close to him.

"I love you, Arturia."

"And I love you, Shirō." She said, as her essence faded away.

* * *

Arturia woke, her eyes fluttering open slowly. She was in bed with Shirō, having laid claim to him thrice after their dinner guests had departed. Each time he had reassured her that he had eyes only for her. She knew that, of course, but she needed to hear him say it anyways.

It was strange, she thought, feeling so possessive.

She knew that Rider would be around for quite some time, which meant she'd need to get used to that fact. Even so, it wasn't an easy thing to do. Despite this being an entirely separate Rider from the one who had infiltrated Shirō's dreams, she couldn't just ignore the fact that the present Rider is fully capable of doing the same exact thing.

Her fears were abated as she felt Shirō squeeze her slightly.

"Good morning, Arturia."

"Good morning, Shirō."

* * *

After breakfast, Shirō and Arturia needed to come up with a plan to deal with Caster before they met up with Rin and Archer.

"Archer is going to want the two of us to go in first. He'll want us to wear down whatever he thinks is in there before taking them on himself."

"What makes you so sure?" Arturia asked.

Shirō smiled a bitter smile. "Because that's what I'd do in his position. He's not going to risk putting Rin in danger if he can help it"

Arturia nodded, his reasoning sound. "If we go in, we can keep Archer unaware of what is truly going on. But then we'll need to deal with both Caster and her Master alone"

Neither of them wanted to kill Caster or Kuzuki-sensei, but they knew the chances of getting Caster to listen to reason were slim. Even then, what would they say? They couldn't exactly tell them about what had happened.

"Caster's weakness is Kuzuki-sensei. If I can incapacitate him, she'll have no choice but to listen. She'll be planning something, but she'll be listening all the same" Shirō said after thinking for a moment.

"Caster's Master might not be a Magus, but he's still extremely skilled. How would you incapacitate him without maiming him?" It was a reasonable question. Shirō hadn't said anything about not wanting to hurt them. He just didn't want to kill them. But, if he were to permanently injure Kuzuki-sensei, there's no telling what Caster might do.

Shirō didn't really have a good answer to that. "I can try to do what Archer did to Rin when he betrayed her. Lock him in a cell made of blades"

They both knew that wouldn't work. Kuzuki was a man of focus. Commitment. Sheer will. He wouldn't give up just because he was put in a cage. They both knew what he was capable of and how far he was willing to go.

There had to be another way.

"Rule Breaker. If you can Trace the original, you can use it again, right?" Arturia asked.

"That's dangerous, Arturia. If something happens and Caster uses Rule Breaker on you, I don't think I'd be able to fight the three of you."

Arturia could see the look in his eyes. She knew what he was thinking of. He had told her everything. Even about Gilgamesh using Rule Breaker on her. Though the current her hadn't experienced that, she had no doubt it was anything other than completely terrible.

Still, Arturia's idea was the only one they had that allowed them time to reason with Caster. "We know about it, this time. Caster is a long-range fighter. She won't be able to use Rule Breaker on me if I know she has it."

Shirō sighed and thought for a moment. "If I can trace Rule Breaker, I can sever the connection between Caster and Kuzuki-sensei, but-"

"No," Arturia interjected "Even if you did that, they'd still have enough time to fight. What if you did to Caster what she did to me?"

Shirō blinked. If he did that, he'd take over the role of Caster's Master. Would that even work, with him as Arturia's Master already? He voiced his question.

"I do not know. I've never heard of a Master with more than one Servant, but you wouldn't need to be one for long. Just long enough to talk to them."

"What about Assassin?" Shirō asked.

"Caster's Assassin was skilled, but with both Rin and Archer there he would not be a problem. If he has been summoned at all."

That made sense, Shirō thought. He'd only fought Sasaki Kojirō on two occasions. He was perhaps one of the greatest swordsmen he ever crossed blades with, but due to Medea's faulty summoning, he wasn't a threat should they attack from a distance.

It was a risky plan. If anything went wrong, it would all go wrong. But, it was the only plan they had.

* * *

"So, what do we know about the Temple?" Shirō asked.

"First off, it's heavily warded. There's no sneaking in. Not even for us, Shirō," Rin started "It's built on top of a Ley Line that continuously provides Mana at a slow, steady rate. I'm guessing that's powering the wards directly. The Temple is occupied, but not heavily."

Arturia looked at the sketch provided by Rin. "Is there no other way in?"

Of course, both she and Shirō already knew there wasn't. They had to act like this was all new to them, though. Otherwise, they'd be in trouble.

"No. I spent hours scouting. There's one entrance, and that's it." Archer said, breaking his previous silence. Rin rolled her eyes at his disdainful tone. Then, he spoke again. "We shouldn't all go in at once. If it's a trap, we'll be playing right into their hands."

Shirō pretended to look thoughtful for a moment before agreeing with him. "That makes sense. You're an Archer, so doesn't it make sense for you and Rin to stay back if that's the case?"

Shirō's once-future self grinned before Rin objected. "Emiya! You don't stand a chance against a Servant on their own turf, even if Saber is there to help you."

Her words almost made Arturia laugh. _'If only she knew the truth'_ Arturia thought.

"I'm not going to let her fight alone. Besides, I have a plan." Shirō said. He pointed to the sketch. "I've noticed that Servants would rather deal with a Master rather than confront another Servant directly. If I can get the Servant to chase me outside, Archer can get a clear shot, can't he?" He finished, looking up at Archer for confirmation.

Archer nodded. However, in the back of his mind, a red flag appeared. There's no way he was this clever before. He didn't have very many memories of his own Holy Grail War, but he knew he was a stupid, naive child. This didn't match up.

Meanwhile, Rin crossed her arms and huffed, angry that the boy she was trying to protect for the sake of her sister, estranged as she may be, was so eagerly throwing himself into needless danger. "You're going to get yourself killed, Emiya. It might not happen this time, but one of these days your luck is going to run out and then what? Saber isn't always going to be there to protect you."

Her words, even if not for the reason she wanted, hit him like a truck. Just the very idea of Arturia not being there with him made his heart ache. To think that they could survive this war, defeat every obstacle in their way and still not be able to stay together was heart-wrenching.

"Maybe, maybe not. Either way, this is the best plan we have. Unless you have a better one?" Shirō said, managing to keep himself composed.

She didn't.

* * *

Medea stared at Morgan's latest _pawn_. He looked somewhat like the others that had been summoned. His armor was of the same general style, only his was pitch-black. Light seemed to bend around it. His armor, however, was the least interesting thing to Medea. What had her so entrapped was the sheer amount of power she could feel from within him. Morgan had said he was a dragon, and now Medea knew she was telling the truth. Beneath his armor, beneath his flesh, was the soul of a dragon. However, it was a sleeping dragon.

Vortigern. That's what Morgan said his name was. According to her, he drank the blood of a white dragon to gain such immense power. In the process, he lost his own humanity. As he was so powerful, their summoning of him was not like the others. He was no phantom. While his mind was sealed away, the beast within was not. This much was clear when she caught his eyes.

They were not dead, emotionless eyes. They were the eyes of an intelligent being. One that knew nothing of fear. Vortigern had abandoned his humanity to become the ultimate apex predator, and that's exactly what he was. His eyes alone brought fear to her, and rightly so. Their control over him was not perfect, nor was it permanent. Vortigern was to be their trump card, not to be played until the right moment. Until they issued a command, Vortigern would wait. However, once that command was issued, they would lose a great deal of control over him, and something deep within her told her that he would not listen to them after he was set free.

"Marvelous, isn't he?" Morgan asked, coming up behind her. Medea turned to see Morgan was accompanied by all of their pawns.

Medea cast a glance back at Vortigern before responding. "Marvelous is not exactly the word I would use"

"Oh? What word would you use?" Morgan asked with some amusement.

"Dangerous." Medea's words caused a cruel smile to appear on Morgan's usually neutral face.

"He will need time to accumulate enough Mana to be the threat he was so long ago. We can't afford to stagnate in the mean time," Morgan paused, gesturing to her entourage "So we're going to see how well those two stand against what we already have while we begin our next summoning."

Medea's eyes widened. "Another?"

Morgan nodded. "There are still more to summon. We cannot waste such potential when it is so easily accessible."

Medea was silent for a long time before responding. "You think that they might be able to best Vortigern."

"I do not think it likely, but past events have taught me to be more prepared than necessary." Morgan replied.

Medea nodded in agreement, but Agravain's words were echoing in the back of her mind. She stole a glance at Agravain, who was standing uncharacteristically diligently behind Morgan. Morgan saw the question in her eyes and answered before she could voice it.

"I've cast a few spells to make our rowdy pet here temporarily more cooperative."

This only helped cement Agravain's previous words, as she and Morgan had an agreement that, beyond punishments for stepping out of line, Morgan would not tamper with _her_ Servant. Now, it was too late to voice a complaint. If Morgan decided to truly betray her, she wouldn't be able to stand against all that they've summoned _and_ Morgan herself.

So, for the time being, she kept quiet.

* * *

**The Night Before...**

Rider was scared. She was feeling fear like never before. The source of that fear, the very cause of it was just a few feet in front of her. It came in a pair as a mountain of darkened flesh and muscle, and a small, pale girl with red eyes. Her body struggled to respond to her commands as she slowly gained a bit of distance between her and what was causing her such fright.

She had seen what that beast had done. Her eyes were quick enough to catch him carving runic symbols into the ground. The result was an incredibly powerful barrier, one that would have taken an extremely powerful Noble Phantasm to penetrate.

The monster in front of her had completely shattered it with a single fist, and he had done it so quietly that if Lancer had been any slower _at all_ , he'd be dead. As it was, he was already bloody. The fist hadn't hit him directly, but it somehow caused a good bit of damage regardless.

"Where is Onii-chan?" The small girl's voice came, surprisingly cold and demanding.

"Onii-chan?" Rider mumbled under her breath, not sure what the girl was talking about.

The giant the girl rode atop of grunted in response, seemingly hearing her. To both Rider and Lancer, was clear he was incapable of speech.

"Not sure who you're talking about, kid" Lancer said, a grimace on his face from the pain he was currently in. Again, the giant, Berserker, grunted.

The girl was going to answer, but her nose caught a whiff of something. Two somethings, actually. The first was something that was clearly food, and it smelled delicious. The second was blood, but it wasn't Lancer's blood she was smelling. What she was smelling was blood that had dried already.

It was Shirō's blood, and it was coming from Lancer. The smell of it was overpowering. Lancer had come into contact with Shirō's blood. That meant only one thing to Illyasviel von Einzbern. Lancer had hurt Shirō.

Ilya's pupils shrank, her senses became enhanced, her breathing became shallow, and her blood boiled.

He had hurt her Onii-chan.

He had to die.

Ilya's next words were colder and more emotionless than any other she had said that night.

"Kill him, Berserker."

* * *

**Present...**

Rider clutched her knees to her chest. She had been able to escape the monster and the girl. It was like she didn't even matter to them once the girl had said those words. Once she had escaped, she quickly found Sakura and finished getting her home. Sakura had questions, but she didn't have answers. She explained all she understood, but that was very little.

She shuddered at the thought of Shirō having to face that duo. He was strong. Stronger than she thought possible for a human. He still wouldn't survive. Shirō would be crushed in an instant. The thought of that happening was difficult for her, and not just because of what it would do to Sakura.

Rider didn't know why she felt the way she did. She hadn't had many interactions with the boy, yet she cared about him. She wanted to protect him, but she knew that he wasn't one who stood back. Even against a monster, he wouldn't back down. It was foolish, but she felt like she had met him before.

That's why she knew. She knew that when it came time to face that monster, he would die, and there was nothing she could do about it, no matter how much she wished otherwise. That scared her more than her initial encounter with that beast.

* * *

Night time came quickly for Shirō and Arturia. They had decided to stick with Rin and Archer throughout the day and were on their way to the Temple. No changes were made to their plans, which meant they could keep Rin out of harm's way and keep Archer in the dark, since Shirō's once-future self wouldn't dare miss an opportunity to see his once-past self dead.

"Are you sure this is the best idea? I don't like the idea of sending you two in alone" Rin said.

Shirō nodded and Arturia answered for them both. "I will ensure nothing happens to my Master or myself, Rin. It should not take long to draw out whatever is lurking inside the Temple."

Rin pouted, but said nothing else. She was uneasy at the idea of throwing Shirō, who she viewed as an incompetent Magus, into what could very well be a trap. However, her objections had fallen on deaf ears all day.

As they walked down the empty road, the air rapidly chilled as it got deeper into the night. The moon above was blocked by clouds, making it darker than it otherwise would be, only streetlights to illuminate their path.

Shirō's sense of danger was tugging at him. Something wasn't right. He shared a look with Arturia and knew he wasn't the only one who could feel it. They were being watched. Something was going to happen, and they weren't going to make it to the Temple that night. Then, they saw it. A group of people in armor was approaching them from the front. As they approached, the streetlights above them burnt out.

One figure walked in front of them. Agravain.

Archer and Arturia already had their weapons drawn, with Rin standing behind Archer, who was wielding his signature twin blades. For a moment, Shirō was preparing to summon Arcurant, but quickly realized that would be a mistake. He'd tip off Archer and they might have one more enemy to fight.

He thought about projecting Caliburn, but he feared that even that would be too much. So, he went with something he knew Archer wouldn't think twice about. The very same blades Archer himself was holding. Moments later, they appeared in his hands, and only Rin seemed surprised. However, their little party remained quiet as their opponents approached.

Said opponents came to a stop just over ten meters away, a single lit streetlight between them that gave off enough light to see Agravain's face. It was completely blank with no expression present, something both Shirō and Arturia noted.

Behind Agravain stood four of Arturia Pendragon's comrades, or something resembling them. The two they had faced before looked different. Their armor was returned to the appropriate colors and style, and their weapons resembled their Noble Phantasms, one a spear and one a sword. Galahad and Gawain.

Galahad was the son of Lancelot. He was one of, if not _the_ greatest Knight in the world. Not because of his skill that few could match, but because of his steadfast determination and values he upheld. He was loyal to a fault and nobody who once sat at the Round Table had anything bad to say about him. Even those he battled and spared had good things to say.

Where Arturia was the moon, Gawain was the sun. He was chosen as the bearer of Excalibur's sister sword, Excalibur Galatine. He was undyingly loyal to his King and their combined efforts brought down one of the biggest threats they ever faced; Vortigern. The Knight of the Sun was as skilled as Arturia herself.

The other two were as Galahad and Gawain once were; Phantom-Servants, having the same appearance and basic weapons, one spear and one sword. Arturia couldn't tell who they were other than two more of her former comrades. That much was clear by this point. She wouldn't be deterred this time, though.

"Who are these guys?" Rin muttered. Seconds later, her jaw threatened to unhinge as she watched Agravain dissipate into a black smoke. Once he was completely gone, the other four charged, weapons at the ready.

"Stay back, Rin." Archer said. It wasn't a suggestion.

* * *

Shinji was devastated. Not only had he lost _his_ Servant, not only had that Servant betrayed him, but it had been at the hands of someone he considered a friend. Head in hands, he sighed deeply. Emiya _fuckin'_ Shirō. He hadn't known his closest friend was a Magus. Otherwise, he would have gone to him long before Shirō found him in the Archery Club.

Shirō had somehow destroyed his Book of False Attendant, thus severing all control he had over Rider. Shinji was no fool- He knew that Shirō could've killed him instead of simply severing that connection. Shirō always softer than he should be. Since that evening, Shinji had been under the protection of the Church.

He didn't like or trust the Overseer. Twisted as Shinji's values might be, Shinji could tell this Kirei Kotomine was bad news. He spoke in riddles and deflected questions left and right. In addition, he could tell that Kotomine was a killer.

However, said killer had offered Shinji a second chance. He said that, in just a short while, he would be able to offer Shinji another Servant. One that he wouldn't need a Book of False Attendant to control. When Shinji asked about why him, Kirei had simply said it was the will of the Church.

Shinji hadn't given him an answer yet, and time was running out on that offer. It seemed too good to be true, and as with most cases, that means it is. However, he desperately wanted a second chance. Not just to win the war, not just to make a wish upon the Grail to give him the ability to use Magecraft, but to stand on even ground with Emiya Shirō for the first time in his life.

Socially, Shinji Matou was Shirō's superior in every sense of the word. Many times over the years he had sabotaged the reputations of other classmates for speaking bad of his friend. However, in every other aspect, Shirō reigned supreme. His Archery skills had no rival in their grade, their school, or even their league. He could fix anything that was broken, his grades were almost perfect, and he could cook food better than a four-star restaurant. Now, he was also a Magus of no small skill, the one thing Shinji wanted to be.

Shinji didn't know what he would do about Shirō if he accepted the Overseer's offer. Obviously, only one person could make a wish upon the Grail, but something told him Shirō wasn't interested in seeing a wish come true. He was still angry that Shirō had so easily knocked him out of the war, but it wasn't out of any true malice.

So there he sat, in the pews of the Church, contemplating whether or not to accept Kotomine's offer and, if he did, what actions he would take, if any, against his closest friend.

* * *

This was bad.

This was really, really bad.

Those were Shirō's thoughts as he carefully blocked, dodged, and countered the attacks of Agravain. Though he was bloodied, most of his injuries were superficial.

Arturia's former comrade hadn't said anything this time. Instead, his face assumed a rather robotic look, and only when their blades collided did Shirō feel any emotion coming from him. Like before, he didn't want to do this, but obviously his Master had used some kind of spell to keep him quiet and obedient, which made him more dangerous than before.

Agravain was an Assassin. He fought best when concealed by darkness. However, that didn't mean he was incapable of fighting where he could be seen. Quite the opposite. Shirō quickly realized that he was an extremely adept fighter even outside of the shadows, one that he never would have stood a chance against had he not been tempered in the fires of war a thousand times over.

Agravain was both quicker and faster than he was. If Rin and Archer weren't there, he might technically be faster with Time Alter, but that wasn't an option with those two present. He was also stuck using Kanshou and Bakuya. His saving grace was that instead of tracing Archer's skill, he was using his own, with his own pair of the twin blades. That meant he could adapt to Agravain's constant series of change-ups.

While Shirō fought Agravain, Arturia was facing down Gawain and Galahad. She felt lucky that neither of their weapons maintained the power of their Noble Phantasms, despite their appearances. However, they still had their skill, and because of that she was being pushed close to her limits, and she had the injuries to prove it.

Her former comrades were every bit as skilled as she could remember. She had suppress her nostalgia to fight them properly, which wasn't easy. Upon the first few clashes between her and Gawain's blades, she'd had flashbacks of sparring with Gawain in the past. This made it difficult for her to counter his attacks or make any attacks of her own. Each time their blades touched, a flash of sparks would meet the air as a memory would reawaken within Arturia. She'd managed to get a few good hits, but they neither bled nor seemed to feel pain, which meant they were unhindered by any solid blows she might land.

Archer quickly learned the same lesson Shirō and Arturia had fighting the otherwise nameless phantom-servants. The more effort he gave, the more they would give in return. This forced him to fight defensively. Thankfully for him and his temporary comrades, none of their enemies seemed to be interested in Rin. So long as she held off on attacking them, he assumed it would stay that way.

He wasn't blind to the fact that his former self had so easily traced and projected the very same blades he was using, and was now fighting with such skill and precision that, for a moment, he thought his former self might be better at swordplay than his current self. The thought vanished almost as quickly as it came, as Archer had other things to worry about at that moment.

As the various battles went on longer and longer, Archer was getting worried. Rin wouldn't stay out of the fight forever and if his incompetent past self and his Servant were beaten, he and Rin would be next on the chopping block. That was something he simply couldn't allow. He thought about projecting something more powerful than his married blades, but quickly cast that idea aside, not wanting to give Emiya Shirō anything he could trace himself. Idea after idea was struck down as his mind worked it's way closer and closer to his ultimate trump card: Unlimited Blade Works.

Rin, however, was too distracted to even think of getting involved in the battle. She was awestruck by Shirō's sudden fighting competency. His sudden projection of the same swords Archer was using was shocking for sure, but that was nothing compared to the shock she was experiencing now. Shirō's movements were that of a seasoned warrior, and his face held no hesitation even though he was clearly going against a Servant.

Upon further inspection, she noted that both Shirō and Archer were using the same style to fight, but Shirō.. Shirō's style seemed _more_ refined than Archer's, even though she didn't think that was possible. He was somehow fighting on a level above that of her own Servant, with that Servant's same weapons. Everything she was taught and everything she knew told her that what Shirō was currently doing was impossible.

And in the back of her mind, set far behind the awe Shirō was inspiring within her, that scared her.

* * *

There was a battle taking place. Rider could sense it. She could feel the sheer amount of magical energy even from Sakura's bedroom. To her, it was like a signal flare in the sky. From the way it felt, there were several participants. However, one among them shone more brightly than the others, and she knew exactly who it was. Shirō.

Rider looked from the window to the bed behind her, in which Sakura was sleeping. Sakura was highly desensitized to just about every form of magical energy, so she could sleep soundly even when such a battle was taking place.

That wouldn't be the case for anyone else, though. If a Servant or Magus were in the area, they'd feel it, too. That meant the monster and girl would know something was going on. They'd likely be heading to that very location.

Rider was faced with a decision she didn't want any part of. She could stay there and do what she had promised by protecting Sakura and allow Shirō to face that monster, or she could leave Sakura's bedside and go to him. Even with her help, even if Shirō and his Servant at their best, they might not even be able to damage that _thing_. Not without a miracle.

* * *

Archer had made a mistake.

He'd put too much into one of his attacks, hoping to make a decisive blow. After finding out that no amount of damage meant anything, he realized his mistake when they retaliated with an equal amount of force. Only, they didn't stop at one attack. Now, he was truly on the defensive and was fighting for his life.

Their skill and their strength was a direct consequence of his haste to end this fight, and now he was paying for it. He had several injuries that would, in time, spell the end of him if he didn't find a way out of this mess.

Arturia was better off, but not by much. Though Mana still flowed between her and Shirō like a raging river, she still had several injuries that would take time to heal and were hampering her ability to fight at a level she deemed acceptable. She thought of using her Noble Phantasm, but thought better of it. Last time, it had transformed two nameless, faceless Phantom-Servants into two of her most experienced, most trusted comrades. She didn't want to risk making the situation any worse than it was.

Shirō was faring the best out of the three, having effectively countered Agravain's style of fighting. He had a few cuts, but they were mostly superficial. His own skill with the black and white blades was more than enough to shut down Agravain in his current state. However, this gave him time to observe the other two fights and knew that they were _all_ in trouble. He saw the Phantom-Servants' increase in skill and strength. If Archer were defeated, he and Arturia would be next, and they didn't have a whole lot to deal with five, highly-skilled attackers that didn't involve risking what had happened last time.

He needed something. Something to fight back with. With Caliburn out, he immediately thought of Durandal, the holy sword said to encase three miracles within it. A miracle was something they needed, but Shirō feared that Durandal's close connection to Excalibur might have the same effects on the Phantom-Servants as Caliburn did. That meant Gram, a demonic sword, was also out of the question.

As he defended himself from Agravain, he went down the list of weapons he had at his disposal that would provide them with what they needed. Then, he stopped at Ea, the last weapon on his list. Ea was immensely powerful, fully capable of destroying the planet at full output. Unlike every single other weapon on his list, Shirō had never once used Ea, both out of fear and respect for the weapon.

He couldn't simply project Ea. It wasn't even a weapon he was capable of tracing. It was only by chance that he had possession of Ea in a past life, and he wasn't even sure if he were capable of using it now. Ea would certainly be capable of providing them with what they needed, but Shirō feared the weapon. For some unknown reason, it had chosen him after he defeated Gilgamesh. He had picked up the weapon without thinking as the blonde-haired Servant faded away and it imprinted upon him.

In that life, he could always feel Ea after it was his. He had no right to it and never once claimed ownership of it. Rather, it seemed more like the weapon owned him, or a part of him.

Shirō didn't even attempt to see if he still had the ability to call forth Ea and banished the thought of using it. No, there was only one weapon that had any chance of helping them in that moment. He just didn't want to tip off Archer, but it was the only option remaining. Shirō steeled himself for what was to come and focused his magical energy.

A riptide of energy suddenly swirled around him, giving pause to Agravain's next attack. However, the energy faded soon after as something else drew the attention of everyone present in that moment. A hulking mass of flesh and muscle was suddenly behind one of the Phantom-Servants, and said Servant wasn't aware of it until a gigantic fist came crashing down, crushing him instantly.

Their attackers turned to face this sudden new threat to see Berserker in all his glory, standing several feet taller than everyone else present, and Illyasviel von Einzbern riding atop his shoulders. The red-eyed girl was looking directly at Shirō. The remaining Phantom-Servant prepared to attack, but suddenly he, along with Galahad, Gawain, and Agravain faded into a black mist, recalled by their Master. The remains of the crushed Phantom-Servant dissipated along with them, leaving no trace of them left behind.

Now, the four of them were once again facing down Ilya and Berserker. Archer, Rin, and Arturia quickly regrouped with Shirō, each for their own reasons, but Shirō shocked them all by walking towards Ilya completely unarmed, his twin blades having dissipated.

"Shirō!" Arturia called out, attempting to grab him but meeting air with her grasp as he moved just a bit too quickly for her to stop him from doing something foolish.

"It's fine, Saber" He started, carefully using her title rather than her name "If she wanted me dead, I'd be dead by now. She won't hurt me." He turned towards the small girl. "Right, Ilya?" He asked with a warm smile.

She returned his smile, but hers was much less warm than his. "That's right, Onii-chan. I saved you, so you have to come with me now."

Inwardly, Shirō chuckled at the simplicity of the statement. She saved him in more ways than one, and he was thankful for that. "Okay, Ilya. I'll come with you for a little while."

"Shirō, no!" Arturia said. She couldn't believe this. He would go willingly with her, even though he knew what she and that Servant of hers was capable of? She made to move forward, but stopped when he held up his hand.

"I'll be fine, Saber. Take Rin and go home. We'll have to deal with the Temple some other time." He said, his voice calm and reassuring. Arturia's confusion remained, but she trusted in him and his judgment.

She bowed her head in acceptance. "I'll wait for you at home, Shirō."

Arturia didn't move from that spot until Shirō, Berserker, and Ilya were long gone. She wanted to go after them and rescue Shirō, but she knew that wasn't the play Shirō wanted to make. However, there were two others who _did_ follow Shirō, unseen by all others.

* * *

Merlin was angry. At himself, at Morgan, and at Fate. In his chamber, his prison, a soundless projection played back the events of two nights ago. The image became bright as two flashes of golden slight overtook everything else for a few moments before dying out.

Excalibur and Caliburn. Two legendary swords, capable of scorching the Earth with their power. As the light faded, the two targets of the twin attacks came into view, changed from how they were before the attacks. Different. More powerful.

Previously, Merlin thought the Phantom-Servants to be a creation of Morgan's. He thought the style of armor and weapons were meant to be a jab at Arturia and nothing more. He's never been so wrong in his life.

Instead of mere creations, when he saw what- who they changed into, he knew what Morgan had done. Somehow, she had tampered with time as he did, but on a different scale. A different frequency. Bathing the two Phantom-Servants in the holy light of the swords their King used, it unlocked a part of them that had been sealed by the summoning itself.

He thought Agravain's presence to be a cruel coincidence, but upon seeing the other two transform, he knew better. It was the cruel hands of Fate intervening by allowing Morgan to do such things in the first place. Shirō and Arturia knew better now than to use Excalibur and Caliburn, but the damage was done. Gawain and Galahad were two of their King's most trusted, most accomplished Knights, and now she was being forced to fight them. Even more cruelly, they weren't able to use their minds for anything other than fighting, yet he was sure they were fully aware of what was going on. It was torture for both sides.

Merlin yelled out in frustration, knowing he was unable to do anything while still locked away. His only hope was that whatever changes were made to Arcurant, whoever Vivian had contacted for additional help, would be enough to tip the scales back in their favor, or at the very least level the playing field.

If only he knew who and what Vivian had contacted.


	7. Incalescence

" _If you need a hand to hold then stay the night"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 6: Incalescence**

The battle between Shirō and the King of Heroes came to an end within Shirō's own Unlimited Blade Works. There, within the Reality Marble, Shirō had the advantage as an endless number of weapons clashed against clones of themselves, destroying them both in the process, preventing either from calling upon them ever again.

Gilgamesh became unhinged at this revelation. His anger fueled his next decision; to show the fake before him just how futile his efforts have been by bringing out the ultimate weapon: Ea. He knew that it was something that Shirō could not copy, but he would allow him to attempt it anyways, just to laugh at what would be a humorous expression.

That was why Gilgamesh lost. In his arrogance, he never once thought of what to do should Shirō get close. No enemy of his ever had, so how could a cheap knock-off accomplish such a feat? Before he knew it, his that had drawn out Ea was severed, falling towards the mountain of steel below. Moments later, he was impaled by several different blades that were no longer kept away by his own treasures.

When Ea landed in the mountain of blades below, it became the center-point of a pulse of energy unlike anything Shirō had ever felt. As Gilgamesh faded away while screaming obscenities, Shirō mindlessly stumbled towards the one weapon he couldn't trace, his body moving without him even realizing it, too exhausted from his battle.

The Reality Marble started collapsing inward, signaling the time limit was up. However, before it could eject him, his hand wrapped around the hilt of Ea, and it let out a pulse similar to the first. It was almost like an echo. Then, blackness consumed him, and he was back in the real world empty-handed and confused.

Even though he won against Gilgamesh, and had faith that Arturia would win against Kotomine, and even that their combined efforts would prevent another catastrophe due to the Grail, Shirō knew he had lost in the end. What started as a battle to avoid unnecessary bloodshed had ended as a fight to keep Arturia by his side. He had lost Ilya so soon after getting to know her, and both he and Rin had lost Sakura. After the Grail was destroyed, he knew that it wouldn't be long before he lost Arturia as well. All he wanted was another chance. A chance to get things right. To protect the people he cared about.

A flash of golden light erupted from where the Grail was supposed to be and quickly spread outward and upward, first engulfing his vision and then his body.

* * *

As they approached the massive castle that only seemed to get bigger as they got closer, Ilya riding atop Berserker, Shirō felt no fear walking beside the giant Servant. The overwhelming pressure he once felt due to Berserker's presence was gone. Shirō wasn't sure what the cause of that was. He had a few different guesses, but nothing concrete. Perhaps it was because Berserker wasn't trying to kill him, or perhaps it was because he had become strong enough to withstand such pressure.

There wasn't much conversation on the long way back to where Ilya resided. She apparently wanted to wait until they were in her own territory before speaking. He couldn't really blame her, since she had no way of knowing he didn't intend on hurting her. If anything, his previous display against Berserker could lead her to believe the opposite. Even by Servant standards, taking four lives of the legendary Hercules in a single blow would be a massive accomplishment.

As he observed the giant, Shirō could tell something was different about him. Anyone other than him might have missed it, but the way Berserker moved, from his breathing to the way he walked was different from what he had seen before. There was more measurement in each action and his body didn't sway when he walked. His feet, capable of easily damaging the road beneath him, now stepped more lightly than before. It was strange, and a bit unsettling.

"We're almost there, Onii-chan. There's a lot to talk about." Ilya said, speaking after over an hour of silence, though still not looking at him.

Nevertheless, Shirō smiled genuinely. "Yeah, Ilya. A whole lot."

* * *

"I told you it's too dangerous." Archer said, his voice stern and unwavering.

"And I told you that I don't care! Emiya stands no chance against an Einzbern Magus or her Servant. We have to help him." Rin yelled, angry that her own Servant was defying her desire to rescue her ally.

They had arrived at the Emiya compound over an hour ago. Rin wanted to strategize with Saber on how to get Shirō back, but she was immediately met with resistance from her own Servant. Since then, she and Archer had been arguing without hearing a word from Saber.

"What do you expect to do? Infringe upon her bounded field without knowing anything about what kind of traps there are? Get into a fight with that Servant of hers?"

Rin grit her teeth, an even larger frown appearing on her face. "I didn't know you were such a coward, Archer."

A smirk appeared on Archer's face. "Trying to goad me into your suicidal plan won't work. The only way you're going to get me to save that worthless child is to use a Command Seal, and last I checked you're down to your last."

Rin nearly erupted in anger, ready to do just that, but then thought better of it. "Saber, are you just going to allow him to insult your Master like that?"

Saber raised her head, her eyes steeled and her gaze fierce, looking directly at Archer. "No. I will not tolerate blatant lies about my Master, much less within his own home."

Archer stiffened at Saber's intensity. He didn't think his words would provoke a fight from his past-self's Servant. If she did choose to attack in that moment, he would lose. He was not prepared to take her on in such a sudden encounter. Rin herself was worried that her plan had backfired and would result in losing her own Servant.

"However, my Master instructed me to wait here for his return, and that is what I will do." Saber's words brought a look of shock to both Archer and Rin's faces.

* * *

"How did it feel, Agravain? Did you enjoy sparring with the boy?"

The Assassin gritted his teeth at Morgan's tone, but kept silent. The more he spoke out, the more he would provoke her. He didn't want to be forced into doing her bidding again.

"He's quite strong to be able to take someone like you on, Agravain. Perhaps in a couple of years his power would rival that of your precious King." Morgan said, smiling cruelly. "It's too bad he doesn't have that much time left. Vortigern is almost done gathering his strength."

She was speaking the truth. He could feel it, even though Vortigern was deep underground. He could feel the immense amount of power seeping out through the ground. It was dangerous to allow him to return to his former strength even for Morgan, but Agravain knew that the woman before him cared not for the safety of others. If it came down to it, he was sure she had an escape plan.

"However, I didn't want your King or your new friend to get lonely, so I brought out another toy. It's one _she_ used to play with as a child." Morgan moved aside and a figure came walking out of the darkness. Like all of those before, it was a phantom. However, this was different. His King could easily face down her own knights if she had to, but _him.._ He was a different story.

Though he looked no different from the others, clad in black armor, sword in hand, Agravain knew the identity of every single phantom Morgan had summoned. Gawain, Bedivere, Galahad, and Percival, all of whom were trusted companions from the time his King reigned over Camelot. However, her new 'toy' was different. He knew his King from before. Before everything had made his King who she was.

Kay. The King's adoptive brother. Every fiber of his being wanted to strike down Morgan that very instant, but he couldn't. The spell she cast and the chains holding him to the wall prevented that from happening. He couldn't even speak to curse her name.

Medea chose then to make her presence known, walking into Agravain's 'cell' Behind her was one of the Phantom-servants, diligently following her after being restored. "The one that was crushed has mostly regenerated. I suppose a single, crushing blow is too much for these simple Servants to respond to."

Morgan lazily looked Medea's way "Unfortunately so. I was hoping that he would have imprinted on that giant's strength once he regenerated, but that's a bit much to ask from fodder."

Morgan wasn't focused at that moment, and neither was Medea. Agravain, however, was always focused. That's what made him a phenomenal Assassin. That was why he noticed a difference in Percival. Perhaps a bit of the giant's strength had indeed been imprinted upon. That thought left quickly, though. As the two women chose to leave, Percival lingered a moment. For a quick second, the red glow around his eyes faded, revealing golden eyes that had a feint glow of their own. The once-proud knight turned his gaze towards Agravain, shocking him. Then, the red glow returned, and Percival seemed to diligently followed the two women.

Something had changed Percival. It was as if his mind was unshackled. Percival wasn't the strongest Knight of the Round, nor was he the fastest. He was, however, one of the smartest, able to quickly digest information and turn an unfavorable situation around. That's what made him an exemplary Knight, and why Agravain took a small interest in Percival in his lifetime.

A small smile reached Agravain's face.

* * *

Merlin was never someone who could just let things play out. If there was something going on in the background, he wanted to know what that was. That was why he was reviewing every single individual Shirō he had pulled through time.

Shirō's ability to use Kiritsugu's magecraft was an anomaly to him. Yes, in many timelines the Magus Killer had been able to successfully pass on his own Crest to Shirō, but Merlin hadn't pulled any of those 'Shirōs' through time, because none of them held a strong enough bond to Arturia.

Yet, Shirō was using it on-par with his late, adoptive father, even at such a young age. What's more is Shirō seemed to lack any ability to use it until the very moment before he did. It was a complete surprise to Merlin, and he didn't like being surprised by a situation he thought himself aware of. So, he went to work analyzing every single memory the current Shirō had, using a spell to do so.

Merlin then reached a memory he was sure Shirō didn't have upon leaving his cell. It was a memory of Shirō standing victorious over Gilgamesh, grasping the hilt of Ea, which had fallen from the King of Heroes' severed arm and implanted itself into the ground below. He witnessed the pulse and subsequent echo when Shirō pulled the Sword of Rupture from the ground, but then the memory went black.

Merlin was suddenly forced out of his own spell. He was sent flying across the room, slamming into the cold, unforgiving stone. Of course, such a thing wouldn't kill him, but that didn't mean it wouldn't hurt. When his head stopped hurting and his vision came into focus, Merlin raised his head to see that _someone else_ was in his cell. It was a woman, though her face was obscured by the sheer amount of light radiating off of her. The only distinguishing feature he could make out was her long, white hair.

The impact had caused Merlin to lose his grip on his staff. Though he was far from defenseless without it, he was much better off with it, especially with an unknown entity such as the woman in front of him. He reached for it, to call it to him, but instead it went into the woman's outstretched hand. Merlin's body, working on instinct alone, began weaving an offensive spell only for the woman to make a waving motion with her hand and for the spell to dissipate.

"It would be impolite to attack one of your rare guests, Merlin."

* * *

The Einzbern estate was more of a castle than a modern home. It was humongous, surrounded by miles and miles of forestry with only one road leading to it. It was protected by several layers of bounded fields, along with other Einzbern homunculi. Like in many of his past-lives, Sella was distrustful of him from the start, where as Leysritt was waiting to see what Ilya thought of him. This resulted in him being told to stay more than an arm's length from Ilya while he was her guest in a very threatening way by Sella, even though she knew Berserker would be perfectly capable to protecting Ilya if he did have any foul intentions.

He was guided to the dining room, which was more of a dining hall than a simple 'room', which was where their discussion would finally take place.

"I guess you have a lot of questions, Ilya."

Gone was her carefree smile, replaced with an incredibly neutral expression. "What did you do to Berserker, Onii-chan?"

Shirō blinked. She obviously saw him defend Arturia from Berserker. Maybe this had to do with what he saw earlier? "I'm not sure what you mean, Ilya. If you're talking about the other night, all I did was protect Saber."

Ilya shook her head. "No, Onii-chan. You did something to him, more than just taking four of his lives. What was that weapon you used?"

"I'd bring it out, but I'm pretty sure neither Sella nor Berserker would like that very much." He scratched his cheek, a bit nervous at the idea of fighting Berserker alone because of a misunderstanding. Sella and Leysritt stood nearby but said nothing. In their eyes, he had already been warned, so it wasn't their duty to do so again.

"I want to see it, Onii-chan. You're safe here."

Sella opened her mouth to protest such recklessness, but found herself unable to speak. This was all due to the gaze of Berserker, which had fallen on the homunculus. She could still stand, but aside from breathing shallowly that was all she could do. Not a single sound escaped her mouth.

Neither Ilya nor Shirō noticed this. Instead, Shirō just shrugged at Ilya's request. He trusted in her ability to control her Servants. "I wanted to show it to you anyways, so I guess now is a good of a time as any." Shirō held out his hand to the side and called upon Arcurant. The blade materialized into his grasp before he set it on the table between them.

Ilya examined the blade without touching it. She looked at it's pristine, almost glowing form, burning every single detail into her mind, starting at the tip and working down towards the haft. She stopped at the golden runes etched into the blade. Shirō noticed this.

"I was actually hoping that you might be able to translate these runes. That's why I wanted to show it to you."

Ilya stared intensely at the runes, following them down to the hilt, even seeing the smaller ones on balled-tips at the end of each side of the hilt. However, after what seemed like an eternity, she shook her head. "These runes are a lot older than any of the ones I know. A lot more powerful, too. Did your Servant give you this?"

It was Shirō who then shook his head, after sighing in defeat at the fact that nobody he knew could translate the runes. "No, she only has the one sword. This is purely mine."

"Hm, okay Onii-chan" Ilya's expression told Shirō that she didn't believe him, but he was glad she was willing let it go. He wasn't sure how well he would hold up if she forced him to tell her the truth. Then, she asked him a question he _definitely_ didn't have the answer to.

"Onii-chan, how did you get Kiritsugu's Crest?"

At first, Shirō panicked to find an suitable answer, but he quickly calmed and realized that he didn't have one. He wasn't planning on lying to her, so he did the only thing he thought was right in that situation. He told the truth. "Honestly? I don't know. I have no memory of him passing it on to me, or even how it's possible. I didn't even know I could use it until right before I did."

"Even if it were possible, it would have been painful, since you're not his offspring. Maybe he erased it from your memory to keep it out of the hands of his enemies." Ilya said, devoid of any joy speaking of their father.

A bitter smile reached Shirō's lips. "No, Kiritsugu wasn't like that. If I have it now because he gave it to me, it was because I wanted it. He wasn't a bad man."

"He abandoned me," Ilya's words were little more than a whisper, but there was anger in her voice. "He let my Mama die and then he left me all alone. He threw me away and picked you instead."

Shirō could see Ilya's red eyes surrounded by tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks. All he wanted in that moment was to comfort her like the older brother he was supposed to be. However, in that moment, all he could do was tell her the truth that only he knew.

"That's not how I remember it."

Ilya looked up, confusion on her face.

"I remember him digging through the rubble to find someone who might still be alive. I was too weak to call out to him, but he found me anyways. He saved me all while he was crying himself." Shirō closed his eyes, recalling a series of painful memories, ones which he had multiple of that intensified what he felt when he recalled them.

"What I didn't remember and still don't to this day is my life before Kiritsugu saved me. Not even of my own family. Because of that, he visited me every day in the hospital, telling me of his own family. About his late wife and his daughter he couldn't wait to see again."

Ilya's tears were flowing freely, but Shirō didn't see them with his eyes closed, focused on getting through the emotions the past were bringing up within him.

"Then, one day he offered to take me in, since I had nowhere else to go. He told me that I would get to have a sister. I said yes, and he disappeared for a few days after telling me he was going to introduce me to my new sister."

Shirō gritted his teeth, remembering what he had found out years later.

"When he returned without you, he was injured, saying he was mugged. He told me that you were sick, and that you were staying with your grandparents who had the means to take care of you, but a few years later he told me the truth. He wasn't mugged. He was nearly killed after trying to get you back. That's when I started training as a Magus. I told him that we would get you back together, so I wanted him to teach me everything he knew."

As Ilya shook in her seat, quietly crying, holding herself, both Sella and Leysritt wanted to comfort her, but the gaze of Berserker never wavered, preventing them from moving an inch.

"But he kept trying, and every time he came home more beat up than the last. Even in his final years, he never gave up on you. That's why he died as young as he did, when he could have lived so much longer. That's how I remember it, Ilya."

Shirō moved around the table and embraced his sister tightly. "I'm sorry Kiritsugu couldn't make it, but I'm here now, Ilya."

* * *

Rider was careful to avoid crossing the Bounded Field, instead choosing to use her enhanced vision to keep an eye on Shirō from a distance. She couldn't believe what she had seen when he went _willingly_ with that girl and her monster, much less that he did so almost happily. Couldn't he tell how powerful that girl's Servant was?

She had stalked them from a distance, biding her time so that she could quickly snatch Shirō and make a run for it, but her fear of that girl's Servant caused her to hesitate a bit too long which allowed them to cross the Bounded Field. Now, she could only watch from a distance.

As she watched, Shirō's words seemed to bring that girl to tears, though Rider could hardly believe that boy was capable of such a thing with how gentle he seemed to be. Then, she saw him move around the table between him and the girl and embrace her, bringing up the same feeling she had when she witnessed him embrace his own Servant. Anger. Confusion. Jealousy.

Though she doubted this situation would lead to the same as the one with his Servant, she still felt all those bitter emotions that she had no way of confronting. These overlapping emotions clouded her senses, keeping her from realizing that she wasn't the only one spying on Shirō, nor did she feel the eyes on her.

* * *

Where was she?

Everything was blurry, but clear enough for her to see shapes. Almost clear enough to see her own hand in front of her face. If she had a hand, that is. Instead, she could see a vague kind of light in the place where he hand would be. Looking down, she saw her whole body was like this. She was almost entirely translucent, made up of a strange kind of flame-like energy. This should have scared her, but for some reason it didn't. It seemed.. right.

Her vision sharpened over time and she began to be able to see details and was astounded at the things she saw around her. Buildings taller than she had ever seen, hundreds of people everywhere, all wearing a splash of colors in the form of various clothes. None of them could see or hear her, but if they walked through her, they would shudder slightly. She couldn't move very far without feeling some kind of invisible force pulling her back to her original position, but she could move enough to see all kinds of new things.

She had been bound to that spot for a good while, not that she minded. She knew that when the time came, she would be allowed to leave. The longer she stayed there, the more she learned about the world around her. Not just from the conversations around her in a language she seemed to understand, but from just existing. It was as if her mind were being filled with all the necessary information for whatever she was supposed to do.

Which was what, exactly?

She didn't know that. Not yet. All she knew was that she had an important job to do. It was something only she could do, and it had to be done perfectly. The more she learned, the more information that was provided to her from an unknown source, the more definition came to her own body. The flame-like energy seemed to shape and harden and she began to see her own true body.

Who was she?

She didn't know. Her own memories were missing, but she had faith that she would regain them in time. There were faces she knew in her mind, but they didn't mean anything to her. Not yet.

* * *

Shinji Matou stood in the Overseer's office, standing firm and resolute in his decision.

"Are you certain, child? Is this what you truly want?" Kirei asked, his back turned to Shinji.

"It is." Shinji said, nodding.

Kirei turned to face the boy, his eyes almost gazing into Shinji's very soul. Then, he nodded, and three command seals appeared upon Shinji's hand, burning intensely. Still, Shinji didn't flinch.

Then, a male figure walked out of the darkness behind Kirei, his red spear glinting dangerously in the moonlight.

"What do you plan to do with your new Servant, boy?"

Shinji smirked. "I plan on winning the war, but first I need to pay Emiya back for what he did."

Lancer frowned. Although he was happy to be free from Kirei Kotomine's control, even if only temporarily, he knew revenge was a bitter thing, and he didn't relish participating in such things. Especially if it involved the boy that should have been dead three times over by now.

Kirei, however, laughed at Shinji's resolve. "Very good, boy. Go, now. Seize victory while you can."

Shinji nodded and both he and Lancer departed from the Church quickly. Once they were outside, he gave his first order to Lancer.

"Lancer, I need you to find one of the other Masters. His name is Shirō. Once you do, report back to me."

* * *

It was difficult for Shirō to leave Ilya so soon, but they both agreed that there were things they both had to do. He had to get home and re-think a few things with Arturia, and Ilya said she "needed time to prepare", but for what Shirō wasn't sure.

They had a long talk after he had revealed his own memories of Kiritsugu. Ilya told him about all the lies she had been subjected to as a child of how Kiritsugu had abandoned her. Shirō, of course, already knew this. However, hearing it once again wasn't any easier than the last. When she had heard the truth, it was like turning on the lights in a dark room for her. Very little was how she had thought it was. Shirō was not her enemy. Kiritsugu hadn't abandoned her. Her 'grandfather' had used her for his own means for the final time.

Shirō wasn't sure leaving Ilya alone was the best thing to do at the time, but after meeting eyes with Berserker, he knew that there were very few things that would be able to harm Ilya, and it was still weeks away from when Gilgamesh would make his move. As far as he knew, not a single Servant summoned by the Grail had been defeated, which meant Ilya was still in top-shape.

Shirō's thoughts were interrupted by a woman materializing in front of him, just outside of the Bounded Field protecting Ilya's home. Though her cloak hid much of her body, Shirō knew that under it was Caster. Kanshou and Bakuya instantly appeared in Shirō's hands, preparing for a fight.

"What splendid reaction time for a human." Caster stated, clapping her hands lightly. Though it could be taken as mockery, her tone suggested she was being genuine. Still, Shirō's guard was up. Caster was as devious as she was powerful.

Shirō lifted one of his blades, pointing it at Caster. "You're in my way, Caster."

Though a hood covered much of her face, Shirō saw Caster's smile drop a bit. "My, you seem quite confident even without the other three to support you. Perhaps too confident." Caster raised her hand and a blast of electricity almost like lightning came from her palm, striking the ground next to Shirō.

Shirō didn't move. He didn't blink. He didn't even flinch. He stood tall and calm, staring right at Caster. If he was surprised that she knew of his working with Rin and Archer, he didn't show it. Her neutral expression dropped to a pout. "It's no fun if you don't react. Or was that too fast for you?"

It was then that Caster noticed that Shirō only had one blade as opposed to the two that he had moments before. She glanced to her right to see one of his blades buried in the ground to the hilt, mirroring her previous strike intentionally.

"It's no fun if you don't react. Or was that too fast for you?" Shirō parroted, the smallest of smirks on his face, bringing a full-fledged smile to Caster's.

"You really _are_ something different, aren't you? Such bravery and competence. You remind me of someone I know."

Shirō shrugged. "That's high praise coming from _you._ I'm just a third-rate Magus with a death with according to a friend of mine. Maybe I'm somewhere between the two."

Caster blinked at Shirō's familiarity speaking with her and let out a genuine laugh, dropping her hand back under her cloak. "You get more and more interesting by the second. It's too bad we don't have more time."

Almost on queue, Caster took a step back and a nail-like dagger attached to a chain slammed into the ground where she once stood. Rider landed gracefully in front of Shirō, taking up a defensive stance and pulling her weapon back to her.

Rider prepared to engage Caster, but a strong hand clamped down on her shoulder. Her head whipped back to see Shirō looking right at her, an expression on his face that she couldn't read. She looked back to Caster only to see an empty road before her.

"Where..?"

Shirō let go of her and explained. "She was never here. That was a thought-projection. A powerful one at that. More importantly, why are you here, Rider?"

Rider gritted her teeth at having revealed herself for nothing. "I've been watching you since you volunteered to go with that _beast,_ trying to find a way to save you since you obviously have no regard for your own safety."

Shirō wondered how much of the earlier fight with the Phantom-servants she had seen, but he wouldn't broach the subject if she wasn't going to bring it up. "While it's true that my safety comes second to that of the people I care about, that doesn't make me completely suicidal. Ilya had no intention of hurting me, as you can see." He said, gesturing to his unharmed appearance.

"Yes. I was watching from outside the Bounded Field. Why are you so kind to an enemy?" Rider's tone was accusatory, a frown on her face.

Shirō gave Rider a lazy look. "You were my enemy. Technically, you still are, which means Sakura is, as well," A cold hand grasped at Rider's heart at Shirō's words.

"But I'm not interested in being your enemy, or Sakura's, or Ilya's. I'd rather not be anyone's enemy." Shirō finished.

Suddenly, the hand let go, and Rider could breathe again. "I don't understand you. I don't understand anything you do. I don't know whether to hate you for betraying Sakura or to thank you for protecting her." Rider said, the words coming out of her mouth before she could think about them.

"Betraying Sakura? What are you talking abo-" Shirō stopped, realizing what Rider meant. He sighed, realizing she had been watching him more than he knew. "I suppose you'd like an explanation, but I can't really give you one. Even if I could, you wouldn't believe me, nor would I expect you to. All I can tell you is that regardless of what the future holds, I'm always going to care for Sakura."

* * *

Rin was fuming. Not only had Archer, her own Servant refuse to help her save their ally, but now Emiya's own servant was refusing to help her. It was maddening, which was why she was pacing back and forth in front of the door.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor like that, Rin." Archer commented, a smirk on his face. That smirk faded when Rin looked at him with fury in her eyes, though she said nothing.

Saber hadn't moved from the spot she sat down at once arriving, almost in a meditative state. Her eyes hadn't opened since she had said she would obey Shirō's wishes and remain there. That was hours ago.

"Fine, I'll do it myself." Rin finally said, walking towards the door.

Archer sat up, staring at her back. "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what _we_ should have done in the first place." Rin replied, her hand hovering over the door handle, not daring to look back at Archer.

"You're acting like a child, Rin. This is a war. People die." Archer said, expecting his words to give her pause enough to re-think things.

However, Rin simply laughed a hollow laugh. "You're right. This is a war, and people die in war. But Emiya didn't want any part of this war. He shouldn't even be a Master, but he is because he believes he can prevent that. He's soft like that. That's why I need to-" A hand grabbing Rin's wrist cut her off. It was a smaller hand, but it was incredibly firm.

"Let go." Rin said, not bothering to look back to Saber.

"Rin.."

"I said LET G-" Once again she was interrupted, her own words dying in her throat as the door in front of them opened itself, revealing the blinding morning light. She blinked rapidly, her eyes taking a few moments to adjust to the light.

There in the doorway stood Shirō, a light smile on his face. Arturia had obviously sensed his presence before he reached the door, but the scene before him said she hadn't had the chance to tell Rin, who was standing stock-still on the other side of the door, tensed up with tears in her eyes.

Shirō closed his own eyes and smiled. "I'm home."


	8. Ardent

_"If you walk down the path that you believe is right, you cannot be wrong"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 7: Ardent**

Shirō took to most of her lessons like a fish to water. He displayed a profound willingness to try again and again and an uncanny ability to improve upon himself after each try. His strength was more than adequate for a human and his stamina was incredible considering his mortal constraints. Though he started out wanting to mimic Archer's twin swords fighting style, for whatever reason his preference switched to learning her own which made things easier for the both of them.

His reasoning for wanting to learn how to fight was something she initially disagreed with. He wanted to be able to fight by her side instead of standing helplessly on the sideline. In most situations, that would be something she found to be admirable. However, she was a Servant, and before that a King and a Knight, and he was just a teenage boy. She couldn't agree to teach him if it meant he would get a big head and try to fight a Servant head-on, so she limited what she taught him in the beginning.

She hadn't expected him to learn as quickly as he did, and she definitely didn't expect him to start giving her a bit of trouble in their spars. Before she realized it, she had started teaching him in a genuine manner, and he kept up better than she thought possible, absorbing nearly every bit of information she put out there and carving nearly all of her lessons into the deepest recesses of his mind.

However, there was one lesson she still hadn't been able to teach him. The very first lesson any would-be Knight was taught: If you want to protect others, you must first protect yourself. When given an objective to protect in their lessons, Shirō had a tendency to allow harm to come to himself if it meant protecting the objective. She tried to teach him that sometimes things were unavoidable in battle, and that the important thing was to stay alive.

"If the person I'm protecting is killed, what reason is left for me to fight?" Was his response, which angered her more than it should have, even though she could understand the sentiment, especially as his Servant. Her anger only truly came from his own confession that he feels like there's no real place for him in this world, and that someone like him who might not belong has a lower value than someone who does, that he placed his life beneath her own, even though she was a mere Servant of the Grail.

She knew that no matter what she said, he'd hold fast to that ideal, and he would continue to place others before himself. She had felt much of the same way when she was alive, even though Merlin had constantly tried to change her mind.

It was due to some reflection upon her own anger towards Shirō in the shower after one of their sparring sessions that she began to realize that she had feelings for him despite the vast amount of differences between the two. She had always put her Master before herself, as a Servant should, but she began to feel that he should come before even the Grail itself.

* * *

It had taken a bit for Rin to calm down enough for Shirō to start explaining what had happened with Ilya. It was long enough for him to make some tea, which even Archer seemed to enjoy. He hadn't been able to explain what _really_ went down to Arturia yet, which meant he was in for a long day after a night of no rest at all.

Even after he had explained it to her, Rin hadn't bought it. "So you're telling me she just wanted to _talk?_ After the two stunts she's pulled so far?"

Shirō sighed into his cup of now lukewarm tea. "She was my dad's biological daughter and held some resentment when he didn't come home after the previous war. I'm sure things would've turned out differently if I didn't have any of the answers she was looking for. I suppose I should count myself lucky that she gave me an option to choose whether or not to join her to win the war."

Rin scoffed at him. "The fact that you still think it's really a choice is amazing. The four of us combined probably wouldn't stand a chance again her Berserker, and I doubt the Einzbern heir is a second-rate Magus like yourself."

He shrugged in response. "She didn't demand anything from me and I made it clear that I'm only involved in the war to protect the people I care about in the first place, which means protecting her, too. So it's not like I declared myself her enemy or anything, I just told her I didn't want to go out of my way to hurt people."

As Rin looked into her tea deep in thought, Shirō passed a look to Arturia that told her he wasn't being entirely truthful with Rin. Though, to her, it all seemed to be similar to what happened before Merlin's actions brought them together again.

"Do you think she could help us with the Temple? Those _things_ obviously have a limit, and that limit seems to be Berserker." Rin asked. Though Archer wanted nothing more to do with his past self, other than gutting him and tossing him into the harbor, there was no doubt in his mind that whatever had been attacking them was a bigger priority. Even as a Servant, his duties as a Counter-Guardian still had a pull on him and his actions. If they were somehow connected to what they would find at the Temple, that meant they were more than just an aberration and that something was seriously wrong.

Shirō pretended to think for a moment before answering. "I don't know. She said she had something she needed to take care of, so I'm guessing she'll be occupied until she finds me again."

This time, it was Rin who sighed. "I figured."

* * *

Rin had left Shirō's home after agreeing to meet later that week for a proper discussion about the Temple and the _things_ attacking them. They were both tired, but Shirō couldn't get any sleep until he explained just what _actually_ went on to Arturia. Predictably, she was less worried about Ilya and more about his encounter with Caster. They had moved from his living room to the bedroom, sitting on his mattress side by side, already in their sleeping clothes.

"It sounds like she was testing your strength, which means she's either been spying on you, or.."

"Or she's somehow connected to Morgan. I know. The fact that she made herself known to me says it's the latter. If she just wanted to test my strength she'd have Kuzuki-sensei do it instead of using a thought-projection." Shirō said, finishing Arturia's thoughts.

Arturia grit her teeth. Morgan had been one step ahead of them at every turn so far, and with Rin and Archer tagging along, Shirō couldn't use anywhere near his full potential. If she truly had aligned herself with Caster, their future endeavors would only become more and more difficult as time went on. They couldn't keep wasting their efforts on Rin's plan to assault the Temple if Morgan was there along with Caster. There's no telling how powerful she herself had become.

Arturia was roused from her depressing train of thought as Shirō wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her tight against him. "Shirō..?"

"If it comes down to it, I'll use Arcurant in front of Archer. I'd rather not, but we can't keep wasting time with those _things._ Something tells me there's more to Arcurant than I've been led to believe." Shirō said, his face contorting into a deep, thoughtful expression.

"What's given you that idea?"

Shirō's reasoning lied in Berserker. "Ilya wanted to know what I 'did' to Berserker, and then she wanted to see Arcurant up close. Even I could tell he wasn't the same as before. He was a bit more.. human, I suppose, than the animal-like beast he was before. Somehow, I think Arcurant had a hand in that. I just don't know _what_ it did or _why._ "

She thought about it, and came to the conclusion that he might be right. Merlin had said Arcurant was a 'part' of Shirō, that it was forged from his soul, but that explained nothing about what it was capable of. It had shape-shifting properties and resonated with her own heartbeat. The runes on the blade were older than those on her own Excalibur, and that was only what they knew of. It was still largely a mystery.

Arturia sighed softly, leaning against Shirō. Their struggles weren't over by a longshot, but now it seemed like a peaceful, happy future with Shirō was impossibly far away. Despite the vast amount of Mana that she had access to, she felt physically and emotionally drained. However, she felt guilty for feeling so, as Shirō's own experiences before Merlin's meddling were hundreds, if not thousands of years of pain and war and death. She felt as if she had no right to be tired.

She became startled when Shirō pulled her smaller frame onto his lap, holding her as a man would hold his bride. She looked up and saw a small, honest smile on his face and fierce determination in his eyes.

"We're going to be alright. I'm not going lose you again." He said, gripping her tightly, as if she might slip away at any moment.

Arturia smiled, happy to see that Shirō hadn't been beaten down by their circumstances. "I know." She said, before raising her head and meeting his lips with hers.

* * *

Rider was more unsure of what to think about Emiya Shirō than ever before. She had watched him follow that girl and her _monster_ home without a single thought for his own safety and then witnessed something that should have been impossible for a normal human to accomplish. For a split second, she had lost track of Shirō's movements when he threw one of his swords at the ground near Caster and stood unflinching at the imminent threat of death from Caster's presence, thought-projection or not.

It would be a feat in and of itself for a _Servant_ to be faster than she could track. No human, no matter how talented, should ever move faster than a slow crawl to her perception.

Then, there was the kindness he showed to the girl. She was his enemy, and that Servant of hers could have easily crushed him at any time, and yet he acted so friendly with her. As if his betrayal of Sakura wasn't enough, he had been _holding_ that girl in his arms while she cried.

She didn't understand anything about him. He said she'd understand more as time went on, but the reality was that it was the complete opposite. At this point, she wasn't even sure if she could decide whether he was a threat to Sakura or not. Before, she had assumed that he would never hurt Sakura or allow her to come to harm, but after watching his _interactions_ with his own Servant, and his friendly demeanor with that girl, she could no longer hold that belief. She didn't know what to think about Emiya Shirō, and that bothered her a great deal.

* * *

Morgan had decided to continue summoning her phantom-servants, but this time she had decided to summon one who could fight from a distance. They could easily overwhelm the boy and that _woman_ with numbers alone, but she felt a twisted sense of glee to force someone to fight people they cared about.

"What was this one's name, again?" Medea asked, still channeling her energy into the summoning. Each summoning had gotten easier when it came to complexity, but at the same time each summoning had begun to cost more and more Mana. Medea wasn't sure whether that was because it simply demanded more, or if Morgan was holding back her own Mana.

"Tristan. Another one of _her_ Knights, but he fought with a bow, rather than a sword or lance. He'll make things more interesting." Morgan said, a small and cruel smile on her face.

Medea simply nodded her head, finding her mind wandering to the boy. Though he was her enemy, she did find him quite interesting. His raw ability and skill that came with such cold, serious eyes reminded her of her own husband. She didn't even notice the boy had thrown his sword. Even accounting for the time lag between herself and her thought-projection, that shouldn't have been possible. She was intrigued by the boy and hoped to see more of what he had to offer before Morgan's plan succeeded.

A small part of her wondered what it would have been like if she had been summoned by that boy instead of her _original_ Master. Would they have been a good match? Would he have taken pity upon her after hearing of her past? Could they have won the war themselves? The boy was certainly more capable than he let on, much like her current Master and Husband. Such calm certainty in his own strength that could be mistaken for arrogance, but was definitely not.

Medea cast those stray thoughts aside. Though she took no pleasure in Morgan's company, she had sworn to uphold her end of the bargain. She'd make her wish and be able to live with the only man she could ever see herself loving. She would allow nothing to get in her way. Not even Morgan, should she betray her. Agravain's words still echoed in her head, telling her that she couldn't trust Morgan, and they were something she thought about often.

* * *

Two days after their attempt to assault the Temple, they had reconvened to talk about another attempt, gathering once more at Shirō's home. Before their meeting, Arturia and Shirō had spoken at length of what to do should they run into the phantom-servants again. With Archer around, their options were fairly limited, but Shirō had told her that if it came down to it, he'd do what was necessary. Shirō initially wanted to try convincing Rin to rethink the entire ordeal, but Arturia was quick to remind him that every second they kept Archer in their vision was every second Shirō's future self was robbed of plotting a new way to kill him. They both knew that he'd go so far as to taking Rin hostage to force a fight.

"If those.. things show up again, it's going to be difficult to deal with them. When they get hit, they respond with an equal amount of force and speed. It seems nothing short of a single, crushing blow can stop them." Arturia said, trying herself to think of a way to deal with their obstacles.

Archer, unusually serious considering his previous demeanor when it came time to talk, nodded in agreement. "I can provide something like that from a distance, but you two-" He paused, pointing at Arturia and Shirō "- Are going to have to deal with them on your own until that happens." Internally, Archer frowned. He'd much rather leave the two of them to the wolves, but his duty as a Counter-Guardian was demanding that he find the source of those _things_ and eliminate it. Something told him he'd find it at the Temple, which meant there was yet another anomaly from what he could remember.

Shirō and Arturia shared a look, but before they could agree, Rin spoke up. "I'm not going to let the two of you deal with _five_ of those things on your own. I might not have the sword skills you seem to have, Emiya, but I can still provide enough support to help buy enough time." She said, looking directly at Archer, only sparing a glance to Shirō when she spoke of his skills that seemed to appear out of thin air. Her tone and gaze told Archer that she wasn't _suggesting_ that she'd go along with them.

Both Shirō and Archer wanted to protest, but they knew it would be useless, each having their own experience to draw upon when it came to Rin's stubbornness.

Far beyond the Bounded Field that surrounded the Emiya compound, Lancer was watching. He had been instructed to find Emiya Shirō, and once he had his new Master had given him further instructions: Observe. Lancer wasn't quite sure what Shinji had meant by that, and he wasn't entirely sure his own Master knew what he wanted.

Lancer had his own experiences and theories about the boy he was observing, but had yet to tell Shinji about them. He was hesitant to trust his new Master after being forced under the servitude of Kotomine, who was a snake but worse in every way. For now, he'd obey Shinji's orders to the letter, but nothing more.

* * *

She could almost see things clearly now. She still didn't know who she was, where she was, or what she was, but she could start observing the world around her, even if she couldn't interact with it.

The people spoke a language that seemed familiar to her, and she thought she understood the words, but it all sounded garbled, as if it were coming out of a creature, rather than a person. This saddened her, as she ached to understand what people were saying, almost as much as she ached to know who she herself was.

Information had continued to fill her as if she were an empty vessel, mostly comprising of names and faces. However, one had rung out louder than the rest within her mind: Emiya Shirō. For some reason, his name and face were not only the first to appear in her subconscious, but they were also the clearest. Something was important about this young man.

She saw something else in her mind with clarity as well: A golden grail more elegant than any other which rested heavily upon the place it stood, and upon the world itself. It stood empty when, in her mind, she thought the one purpose of this grail was to be filled, though with what she had no clue. Wine, perhaps?

She also knew that this grail and Emiya Shirō were somehow connected. Did he possess the grail? Was he looking for it? She didn't know. All she knew was that in the matter of importance, the grail was infinitely more important than Emiya Shirō, though the young man obviously had some matter of importance to be connected to the grail.

* * *

One day later...

Shirō, Arturia, Archer and Rin once more began the trek up to the Temple. Ever wary of the doubtless impending attack, they remained vigilant. They would be down a front-line fighter if their plan held together, but that all hinged upon the number of _things_ that they'd be dealing with.

Their plan fell apart the moment the phantom-servants made themselves known, their numbers one larger than before. The newest addition held not a sword or lance, but a bow. Both Shirō and Arturia knew who this was. After all, he was the only one among the Round Table that had been proficient enough with a bow that he rarely needed any close-range weaponry. Not just because of the speed of his draw, but the very nature of his bow.

In life, Tristan wielded a legendary bow, which resembled a harp with the number of strings it possessed, known as Failnaught. The bow didn't require physical arrows, instead creating what was referred to as 'vacuum arrows' that were devastating when they hit flesh, and could be fired in rapid succession without ever needing time to stop. Unless his targets could somehow alter time itself or was incredibly close to him, for which he had a slim silvered-steel sword, he would always hit his targets. However, that wasn't the only thing he could do with his bow. He could lay 'vacuum' traps which were nearly always lethal, and could even change the shape and size of his arrows by changing the position of his fingers and the number of strings he would use to fire.

However, these phantom-servants weren't what they were in life, despite the change in appearance for both Galahad and Gawain. Tristan's legendary bow was nowhere to be seen, instead using a basic looking bow, but that brought them little comfort. The lack of a quiver suggested he wouldn't be using physical arrows.

Like before, Agravain was in front of the others, with Galahad and Gawain to his immediate left and right, and directly behind them stood the other two otherwise nameless phantom-servants, with Tristan taking up the rear. Though his armor resembled nothing of what he wore in life and his face was obscured by the same helmet the other two wore, Arturia was sure it was Tristan.

"I don't think that plan is going to work" Shirō said in a low voice and a small, grim smile on his face. Already, he and Archer had the black and white swords in their hands, while Arturia held Excalibur tightly in front of her. Behind the three of them was Rin, now unsure of what to do.

Then, their enemies charged, targets selected. Arturia and Archer each fought a single nameless phantom-servant and one whose identity had been revealed. Arturia faced Gawain, and Archer faced Galahad. Meanwhile, Agravain focused on Shirō alone and Tristan was free to pick and choose his targets. Surprisingly, Rin was left completely alone. They didn't seem to consider her a threat.

Galahad and Gawain's attacks had more speed and force behind them than their nameless counterparts, and the difference in skill was completely obvious as well. This made it all the more difficult for them compared to last time, where Arturia was paired up against the two whose abilities seemed partially restored to them.

Meanwhile, Tristan shot Mana arrows at them, choosing to switch between targets, choosing whoever was more vulnerable at the time. However, without anyone attacking him, his own abilities were fairly limited, not getting the chance to 'imprint' upon them. Still, his arrows were no laughing matter, and several had nearly hit the mark already, grazing his targets and drawing blood. Even if he didn't ever hit his target, it would end up as death by a thousand cuts if the battle went on too long.

The longer the battle went on, the closer and closer Shirō got to calling upon more than the married blades in his hands. They couldn't win with him holding back, especially now that they had a ranged fighter. Even if he didn't hold back, their chances of winning when they didn't even know nearly as much as they would have liked about these phantom-servants weren't exceptional.

Shirō winced as another of Agravain's downward slashes tore into him, this time slicing across his right arm. If he had poisoned his blades beforehand, he'd be long dead by now. He took a quick moment to thank that he hadn't for whatever reason. Like before, his attacks and movements were much more robotic than the first time he faced the Assassin, suggesting that he wasn't working upon free will.

Agravain faded into the blackness of the night once again, circling Shirō. Shirō had a hard time tracking him, furthering the credit to his own legend as Camelot's lone Assassin. He could understand that they'd only need the one if he was this good.

Feeling a presence behind him, Shirō spun on his heel and brought his twin blades up in a cross-guard, blocking another attack from Agravain. Despite the emotionless look on his face, he seemed almost surprised that Shirō blocked his strike, giving Shirō enough time to make an attack of his own, stepping forward after parrying Agravain's blade, keeping the cross-guard form, and slashing outward with both blades, cutting through the black armor he war and into Agravain's flesh. Agravain hopped backwards and Shirō knew he made a mistake.

Arms outstretched, he was wide open for the arrow that had just been released from Tristan's bow. He urged his body to move to avoid being hit, but knew he was too late even if he were to use Time Alter. In the back of his mind, he could almost hear something taunting him for not using the most powerful weapon in his possession to end the fight before it had even begun as the arrow got closer and closer to him.

**"Gáe Bolg!"**

A red spear cleaved the Mana arrow in two mid-flight, causing it to dissipate, and stuck itself into the ground. Time sped back up to a normal level and a blue-clad man landed beside the spear, plucking it from the ground.

"What.. What are you doing here?" Shirō asked.

Lancer spared a glance at Shirō before looking back to Agravain and Tristan. "My Master said to help you out, so that's what I'm doing. Don't ask why, because I don't know either." He said, taking up a defensive position.

Shirō regained his composure and took up a defensive stance as well. "Well, if you're going to help out you should know that these.. _things_ are like a mirror. They respond with an equal amount of force and skill when you hit them and there doesn't seem to be any real limit to what they can respond to."

"Tch." Lancer scoffed. He wasn't sure about Shirō's own abilities, but he knew that humans and Servants had completely different ideas of strength. Still, after observing the other two fights before he stepped in, he could tell the other two Servants were holding back for some reason.

Both Arturia and Archer had taken notice of the new arrival, but didn't have time to investigate. So long as he was on their side, it was fine with them. However, yet another person arrived on that battlefield, and the newest arrival caused a pause in the ongoing battles as he emerged from the darkness, drawing attention from everyone there. Another phantom-servant, this one wielding a sword. However, this one Arturia knew from the way he carried himself, even if he had nothing else to reveal who he was. She had spent the vast majority of her life sparring with him. She had been raised with him and was her adoptive brother for most of her childhood and even then well into her kingship.

Kay.

Arturia tensed up, a flood of memories long since buried rushing through her mind, each one shared with Kay, who was one of the only Knights she had full and complete faith in, and was one of the only people who she confided in outside of Merlin.

Shirō could tell something was wrong from the way Arturia was reacting. Her guard slipped, her hands loosened, and her breathing became irregular. This meant even through the black armor she recognized who it was and was obviously someone important to her. Someone close.

He grit his teeth, his small hope from Lancer's arrival already dashed by this new phantom-servant's appearance.

* * *

Merlin stared uncharacteristically wide-eyed at his 'guest', who not only had the power to enter his prison in some form or another, but to dismantle his spell and call his staff, which _he_ made with his own two hands, to her. The light radiating off of her was slowly dimming, but he still couldn't made out any facial features, her defining characteristic at that time being the white dress she wore and her equally white hair.

"Who are you? Why are you here? _How_ are you here?" Merlin demanded, though his tone was more that of wonder and less of anger or fear. He struggled to his feet, his back still sore from the impact upon the cave wall.

"I'm like you, Merlin. I'm someone who is actively participating on the plan to defy Fate." She said in a light, playful voice.

Merlin, despite not feeling any fear, took a step back. As far as he knew, only he and Vivian were aware of what the full plan was or had any active participation in it, though he had suspected that Vivian had contacted someone. Was this who she contacted?

"I came here to fulfill my side of the bargain, but decided to come a bit early to explain some things to you about the plan." She said, walking to the middle of the room.

Explain some things about the plan? He knew the plan. He was the one who came up with it, wasn't he? What was she talking about?

As the light continued to dim, it slowly revealed two crimson eyes that looked at him with a curious sort of fascination.


	9. Fervidus

" _Once.. I had a dream."_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 8: Fervidus**

Every once in a while, Shirō would feel the familiar thrum of Avalon, even though it had been years since it last rested inside of him. Between his practice sessions, he'd sometimes catch himself trying to share water with someone who was no longer there. These were remnants of the past. While he didn't lose _everything_ in the Holy Grail War, he felt like he did.

His body had long since stopped requiring daily practice. His movements were ingrained into his every muscle fiber. He was confident he could defeat most opponents with a blindfold on. Yet, he found himself continuing to practice ever since the first day after he lost _her._ It had started as a habit. Get up early, practice, shower, eat. It was his routine.

However, as the days passed by routine morphed into an escape from reality. For a short time, he could relive those short moments of peace he had. There were times where he could almost feel her eyes on him, watching him, critiquing him. Over time, these practice sessions increased in frequency. Once a day turned to twice a day. Twice a day turned into thrice. Then, he'd practice whenever he had spare time. In those short moments, even if she wasn't there with him, he felt like she was. Just for a few moments. Then, the spare time he had would be gone, and so would she.

He knew it was only his imagination because if she really was there, she'd chastise him for overworking himself. She always did place importance on taking breaks when necessary. _"Overworking yourself is just as bad as not training at all"_ She had said all those years ago. She was right, of course. He felt fairly sore nearly all the time because he'd practice so much. However, it was that soreness, that dull kind of pain that kept him grounded. It reminded him that the only reason he was alive to feel that pain was because of her.

Shirō told himself that if he ever got the chance to do things over, even if nothing would change in the end, he'd take it in a heartbeat. Even if he couldn't change the outcome, he could still be with her again if but only for a short while.

* * *

Emiya Shirō was important. She didn't know _why_ he was important, but he was. Something he did, something he'll do, or something he _is_ makes him important. That much had become clear to her.

Various things continued to fill her mind with thoughts, ideas, names, and images of people and places. She still had no idea who _she_ was, but there wasn't anything she could do about that. Not now. She was still incorporeal and couldn't travel very far.

She did find out she was in a country called France, in the town of Rouen. She assumed that her identity was connected to this place somehow. Perhaps she was born here? She didn't know yet, but was confident that whatever seemed to be feeding information directly into her mind would get to that sooner or later.

* * *

Outside of Sakura's window, atop the slanted roof, Rider's senses were on high alert. Shirō was fighting again. There was no mistaking his energy now that she'd felt it so many times. It was like the brightest star in the night sky compared to other energies. In her mind, he stood out among them all.

Who he was fighting seemed to be the same ones he was fighting before he went along with that _girl_ and her _pet._ However, there were more of them this time. They couldn't be normal Servants, since their energies were much too similar. Magical constructs, maybe? She didn't know. She _did_ know that he wasn't fighting alone. That Servant he was so close to was fighting at his side, and so was the Servant that had confronted her and Sakura. Lancer.

She wasn't sure how Lancer was able to survive the attack from that _monster_ , but a small part of her was glad he did. At the very least, he was honorable. That was more than what she could say for the thing that attacked him.

Two others were there as well. The same two that seemed to have a complicated relationship with Shirō and his Servant, though for the moment they seemed to be fighting together. Still, the odds were against them. Whatever they were fighting didn't seem to have any concept of what 'Stamina' was and showed no signs of fatigue or pause. Just a slow, constant flow of energy that would spike a bit every now and then.

She couldn't allow Sakura to come to harm. However, she knew that meant that boy would have to stay alive and well. If he died, she'd be devastated. She was already so very fragile.

Rider looked over her shoulder into Sakura's window where she slept peacefully and unaware any of this was happening. Then, something caught her attention. Down below, someone was approaching the house.

Shinji.

A scowl crossed her normally neutral face as she descended from the roof, her weapons in hand. She expected him to act surprised, or maybe even angry, but instead, he was relatively calm.

"Rider." He said, greeting her. Her frown deepened slightly.

Shinji's former Servant pointed her dagger at him. "You're not welcome here. Not while the War is still ongoing. Not while I'm here with Sakura."

A sad, guilty smile crossed Shinji's face. She didn't trust him. She had no reason to, especially not after everything she'd been made to do and watch. "I understand, but right now I need your help."

"Why would I _ever_ help you?" Rider said, venom laced in her voice.

"I'm trying, Rider. I'm trying to figure out who I'm supposed to be, and I realized that I messed up with Sakura. She should've never had to deal with what I put her through, but I can't change the past. All I can do is start working towards a better future."

She didn't buy it. Shinji was a sadist and abusive towards both Sakura and her for the entire time she's known him. According to Sakura, he wasn't always like that, but she kept her own pain locked away from the world. She'd never lie for herself, but she would for the sake of others. Even if that was Shinji.

"Right now, there's a fight going on, right? I have no affinity for being a Magus, but even I can feel it in the air. I'm pretty sure Shirō is one of the people fighting. I'm not asking you to help me. I'm not even asking you to help him. I want you to help Sakura. Without him, she'd.. It wouldn't be good. Even I know that."

Rider couldn't believe she was hearing Shinji say all this. It wasn't like him at all. "I won't leave Sakura unprotected. Especially not with you. I don't trust you, boy. I never will."

Shinji shook his head. "I know. I wasn't planning on suggesting that. But, I also know that you're good with Bounded Fields. You could protect Sakura and keep Shirō from ending up dead. As for me, I'm worthless as a Magus. You could tie me up or take me with you. I can't hurt you, and even if you don't believe me I won't hurt Sakura. Not again."

Rider grit her teeth. Shinji seemed to have changed so drastically in such a short time. She didn't take him at his word, but she did want to help Shirō. To protect Sakura. As Shinji said, without him, Sakura would fall apart. Especially with the Crest Worms inside of her. She didn't want that to happen to her. Not ever.

Sakura wouldn't want her to kill Shinji, no matter how terrible he was. However, hurting him wasn't out of the question. Both Rider and Shinji knew this. So when Shinji caught a glimpse of a fist heading towards his face, half of him was scared, and half of him was hopeful that she'd help Shirō. Then, darkness enveloped his vision, and he was out like a light.

* * *

A bloody Ilya giggled as her two personal maids, Sella and Leysritt, ripped through the other maids that occupied the Einzbern estate like a hot knife through butter. The two of them were more or less unstoppable compared to the other, lesser Homunculi that made up the maid staff. Her own abilities far outclassed even those who were considered 'first-class' Magi. The blood that stained their clothes was not their own. So much had been spilled that the once sparkling marble floors were stained a deep crimson, the clothes on their bodies were soaked and heavy with blood, and they weren't yet done with their work.

The first one to die had been at the hands of Ilya herself, and she'd made it slow enough to convey a message to her _Grandfather_. A promise that she'd return to him and make him pay for the pain, the lies, and the grief he caused for not just her, but Kiritsugu as well. Most of all, she'd make him pay for trying to trick her into killing the only family she had left in this world.

Ever since Shirō had left, she'd been putting a new plan in motion. The Einzberns had betrayed her mother and father, and her as well. Her _Grandfather_ had lied to her face multiple times. She'd called to confirm Shirō's story, not that she disbelieved him, and he had all but admitted he'd been lying to her the whole time.

Jubstacheit von Einzbern was able to see and hear through many of the maids' eyes and ears. He'd been expecting her call. However, what he wasn't expecting was for the call to end abruptly, and he really wasn't expecting for Ilya to start slaughtering the other maids within the estate in Japan. He had no link to Sella and Leysritt, but he never expected their loyalties to lie more with Ilya than him. What's more is that even if they had been loyal to him, they'd never stand a chance against Berserker.

At the Einzbern estate, riding atop Berserker's shoulders, Ilya watched as one by one her _Grandfather's_ eyes and ears in Japan were eliminated with glee. She'd had so much anger, so much _hate_ inside of her for so long, and now she finally had the chance to let it out to someone deserving of it. _All_ of it.

Deep down, she knew Kiritsugu hadn't abandoned her, but she'd been fed lie after lie until she thought she believed differently. It had to be true because, in her mind, Kiritsugu wouldn't lose to anyone. So obviously he had to have abandoned her. It was the only thing that could make sense to her, because there were no other options.

Then, she'd heard he passed away, and feelings of doubt had come back into her mind. She'd spent weeks learning about what he had done with the remainder of his life, and that included learning about Shirō. At first, she'd resented him, feeling like he was the reason her father never came home.

But that wasn't the truth. Shirō had proven that. His embrace reminder her of Kiritsugu's. Honest. Genuine. Warm. Loving. If her emotions hadn't been running so high, it would have been much more comforting. Shirō was her family, and now that she had one again, family meant everything to her. _What_ Shirō was to her, she hadn't decided yet. No matter what, though, he was family.

Berserker's heavy footsteps came to a halt, rousing her from her train of thought. The bloodbath was over. Sella and Leysritt stood in front of her and Berserker, awaiting further instructions. A small part of her wondered what the future had in store for her and her family, other than an immediate bath to wash the blood off.

* * *

A bead of sweat ran down Shirō's face, dropping onto the black asphalt below. Lancer's arrival had been a boon for them for a short while. However, he quickly became impatient and struck a blow against Tristan, who he had been keeping occupied. He'd learned what a mistake that was when suddenly Tristan's attacks not only increased in power, but in accuracy and speed. Not only that, Tristan became much more mobile than he had been before, easily moving and shooting his Mana Arrows, ensuring Lancer's attacks had a harder time reaching him.

Kay's arrival hadn't made things any better. Gawain had switched opponents, opting to fight Archer alongside Galahad while Kay dealt with Arturia. The shock she had felt at seeing the man she had grown up with hadn't fully faded and she'd remained unsettled ever since. Shirō could tell she'd been shaken. Her movements were sloppy and her parries didn't have any real force behind them.

He didn't blame her. He'd had a difficult time bringing himself to fight against her in another life of his. In the end, it came down to a desire to save her that brought out the strength he'd needed. Kay, however, was already gone. The thing she was fighting was nothing more than a phantom. An echo of the man that it represented. There was no way to save him.

Surprisingly, Shirō was more calm than he was before Kay's arrival. His focus and instinct was heightened for some reason. Perhaps it was because he was so used to unwinnable situations that he felt more at home within them than battles he _could_ win? He didn't know.

What he _did_ know was that Agravain was starting to wear him down. Relying solely on the twin blades in his hands was an issue. Agravain was simply too fast, too nimble, and too accurate for him to beat with what he was using.

He _could_ beat him using many of the weapons available to him, or by giving caution to the wind and getting serious about beating Agravain, but he couldn't do that while keeping Archer in the dark.

Shirō winced as yet another of Agravain's slashes met his skin, tearing into his right shoulder, before he once again retreated into the darkness. He'd parried the first two strikes, but there was a third hidden in there somewhere. He'd need to find a way out of this fight before he was subject to death by a thousand cuts.

On the sidelines, Rin was getting worried. For some reason the phantom-servants were ignoring her. This meant she had all the time in the world to watch as Archer, Shirō, Saber, and now Lancer became increasingly injured and tired while their opponents showed no such traits.

She was amazed at how Shirō was able to fight on the same level at the others. She couldn't even follow most of his movements. Yet, his opponent was faster. She'd watched as cut after cut appeared on Shirō's body, soaking his clothes with blood. He seemed to remain calm, but she didn't have that ability. They were losing, and it wasn't even by a little. They were getting worn down more and more as time went on. It didn't help that not all of them were fighting.

Shirō wasn't a very good Magus. He didn't seem to know anything about even basic theory or application other than projection and reinforcement. She, on the other hand, was completely the opposite. She'd trained her whole life. Even if they were some kind of pseudo-servants, to be completely ignored was.. upsetting, for many reasons.

Within one of her shirt pockets, the one over her heart, were four jewels she'd been saving for whatever they were going to find in the Temple. However, at this rate they might not even survive the night.

She knew her Gandr shots weren't going to be very effective. As strong as they were, they weren't meant to fight Servants. Whatever these things were, they were strong enough to fight on that level.

Making her decision, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the most powerful weapon she had on her.

* * *

After a bath to clean the blood off of her, Ilya chose to sit by the fireplace within her room. She could still sense a battle going on, but she had faith in Shirō. He wouldn't have come this far if he were to be done-in before he'd make good on his promise to be there for her.

Berserker stood dutifully behind her, but she could tell he was.. antsy. Not just because he, too, could sense battle nearby, but for some other reason. There seemed to be some kind of connection between Shirō and Berserker, but Shirō didn't seem to know anything about it and Berserker couldn't speak to explain it to her.

Sella and Leysritt had performed admirably in disposing of her Grandfather's eyes and ears within the castle. They were two of the more powerful _creations_ the Einzberns had, but their loyalty rested first and foremost with her and not her Grandfather.

Her cleaning wasn't done yet, though. Once the war was over, she'd return to her Grandfather like she promised and make him pay for all the pain he caused her. For all the lies he told her. She'd reduce the entire Einzbern family to ashes and return to her _true_ family. Though they weren't related by blood or marriage, Shirō was her family, and she loved nothing more than her family.

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by an otherworldly chill that passed by her. Her chest felt numb and her heart went cold. She could sense a pause in the battle, as if something had happened. She turned to Berserker, who was staring at the only photo left in the room. The one she had taken with Shirō before he left. The glass covering the photo had cracked.

" _No.."_ Her voice came as a whisper. Disbelieving.

* * *

It had all happened so fast. She'd struck the bowman with the most powerful magic available to her at that time, but instead of any damage being done, it was as if her attack were nothing more than a gust of wind. Then, the bowman turned his bow toward her.

"You fool!" Archer yelled, already moving. Rin could only look on as a Mana Arrow was released, heading straight for her. Time seemed to slow to a crawl in that moment as she wondered if this was how she'd die.

Archer knew he wouldn't make it in time. The battle had drawn him too far away. Rin was going to die. He wasn't fast enough to save her.

Shirō was. The second he saw out of the corner of his eye what Rin had prepared to do, he knew he had to do something. He was just a few feet closer to her than Archer, but that was all he needed.

**" _Time Alter – triple accel"_**

His body and mind sped up, breaking the limits of what was possible through natural means. He didn't have time to block the arrow. The only option was to hope it didn't hit anything vital or pierce through. A fraction of a second later, he appeared before Rin, standing in front of her. A fraction more and the Mana Arrow hit him dead-on, pushing deep into his chest. Shirō fell backwards onto the cold asphalt below, blood flowing freely from the hole in his chest.

Rider had managed to arrive at the outskirts of the battle just in time to see Shirō get hit by the arrow and collapse. She didn't even have time to take in all that was happening within the battle itself. Just Shirō falling backwards, a Mana Arrow sticking out of his chest momentarily before it dissipated. Likewise, Lancer was too engrossed within his own fight to see anything other than the boy his Master seemed to want to help fall, blood quickly soaking through his shirt and coating the ground below.

Archer processed what had happened long before Rin. He didn't know how his past self managed to move so fast, but he knew that what he wanted was done. Calling this battle a loss, he quickly scooped Rin into his arms and ran off. It wasn't until they were almost a mile away that she processed what had just happened.

Arturia had an equally difficult time processing what she'd just witnessed. Shirō.. Shirō had taken an arrow to the heart. Even Avalon had its limits. Her breathing became shallow and her eyes watered. The world around her deafened and she felt.. angry.

* * *

Merlin stared at his 'guest', unsure what to think other than that she was powerful. There was still a bright, white light coming off of her, but he could at least see her clearly now. White, flowing hair and crimson eyes that seemed to be perpetually curious. "What is it you're planning on explaining?"

She smiled at him. Waving her hand, an image appeared within the room. An image of Shirō. "I'm here to explain that you've stepped into something much bigger than you were planning to, Merlin. Shirō isn't just _some boy_ who has incredible potential. What you set in motion had been waiting to happen for _eons."_

Eons? What exactly had he set in motion? What exactly was 'the plan' to this woman?

"Shirō plays a much larger role than you can imagine, Merlin. Whether he wants to or not. In time, he is going to be required to make a choice, a decision, and no matter what he chooses, it will effect the lives of not just those around him, but _every_ life, and the world itself."

Choice? Decision? "What choice? What decision?" Merlin asked. His question went ignored, though.

"It was thanks to your.. meddling, that there would be a choice at all. Without it, there would be no say in the matter at all. One of the two would simply come to pass. Now, there exists one who can decide which one that is." She waved her hand, and the image of Shirō changed to a moving image. A Mana Arrow hit him, and he fell down to the ground. Blood poured out of his chest.

This alarmed Merlin. That wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to-

"Now, watch. Watch what _he_ is capable of."

* * *

She had to do it. No matter the consequences. She'd unleash every bit of power from Excalibur and go to Shirō's side. With her close enough, she might be able to get Avalon to heal him quick enough so that he doesn't die. It was the only option. She'd pour every last bit of energy she had into her attack. She'd disappear after a short time, but at least he might survive. That was enough.

On the sidelines, Rider's body moved without thinking. A combination of her curiosity of Shirō and Sakura's unwavering affection for the boy might have been the root of that, but she didn't have time to reflect on why she'd even come out in the first place, much less started moving towards him.

Lancer wasn't sure what to do. His connection to his new Master wasn't strong enough to receive mental orders with all the other presences around interfering with their connection. If they kept fighting, they'd lose. Obviously Archer had seen that and made the decision to retreat with his Master. However, there was no guarantee they'd be able to escape anyways.

Before Arturia could charge her attack, the ground beneath her quaked and the air around her vibrated. Arturia and Lancer turned to see the air around Shirō being the center of this phenomenon. Moments later, a massive amount of blinding, golden energy burst forth from him, rising high into the sky, encompassing the entire area within it. It built upon itself, growing in size and scope, swallowing all those within the battle, growing larger still.

* * *

Shirō's body felt heavy. An overwhelming amount of weight seemed to be pressed down on him, since he couldn't even lift a finger, much less open his eyes. Shirō couldn't even hear anything. He also felt a rapid coldness spreading from a singular point in his chest. What was going on? What had happened?

_'Oh, right. I was shot by an arrow.'_ He recalled, remembering what had lead up to this feeling. _'The battle isn't over yet. I have to get up.'_

Yet, his body refused to move, and the coldness continued to spread. _'Am I dead? Did that arrow do so much damage even Avalon couldn't heal me?'_

No. He retained some of his senses, so he couldn't be dead. Not yet, anyway. That's how he reasoned things. _'I'm dying, but I'm not dead. I can't die here. There's so much I need to do. I can't die. Not yet. Not here.'_

Shirō struggled in vain to move, to get up and get back into the fight, but his body refused to follow his commands. _'Move, body. Move. I'm not finished yet. There's too much left for me to do. Move. Move!_ ** _ARCURANT!_** _'_

* * *

Archer had gotten them almost a mile away before Rin had ordered him to put her down, stopping on a flat rooftop of a building. He didn't sense anyone coming after them, so it was safe to do so.

"Take me back, Archer!" Rin yelled, uncaring whether anyone could hear her or not.

Archer stared at her, unmoving. "That arrow pierced his heart, and then it dissipated. He's dead."

Tears that had already welled up in her eyes began to fall down her cheeks, yet her furious look remained. "He's not dead! Saber is still there! Lancer is still there! We can-"

"Save him?" Archer interrupted. "An enemy? Again? This is a war, Rin. He was going to die sooner or later anyways. Whether by your hand or by that arrow, he wasn't going to survive. After all, you-"

Next, it was Archer who was cut off. Not by Rin, however. By an absolutely blinding torrent of golden energy. Though his memories were foggy at best, he remembered enough of his past life to attribute such a display of power to Saber and her Excalibur.

Only.. This was different somehow. From what he remembered, Excalibur would unleash a similar burst of energy, build quickly, and then dissipate just as fast. This.. This was different. Instead, it continued to build. Not as quickly as Excalibur, but despite that it quickly dwarfed what he had remembered, continuing to grow in size.

That was not Excalibur.

That was something different.

* * *

The moving image, previously dim, exploded in a golden light, encompassing the entirety of the image and brightening the room considerably. It was so bright that he had to turn away, looking back at his 'guest'.

"What is that?" He asked, unaware of such an attack. It was similar to Excalibur, but seemed to be much, much stronger.

His 'guest' smiled at him. "That's the kind of power Shirō holds within him. It was weak and dormant for so long, for so many of his lives. Without your help, he'd never have been the one to awaken it."

That didn't make any sense. He should have the combined powers of his 'other' selves, but that was it. He was still a human boy. Wasn't he?

Then, Merlin noticed something. Were it not for his own power and heritage, and the fact that he had turned away from the blinding light behind him and his 'guest' had moved away, he'd have remained oblivious. However, his enhanced vision allowed him to see _something_ at the back of the room. Focusing, he could make out what seemed to be the figure of a man leaning up against the stone wall. However, it was as if he were split almost exactly down the middle. The rest of his form seemed to be made up of complete and absolute darkness. In the hand that was corporeal was some kind of firearm, though he had limited knowledge of such things. The being's head tilted up, recognizing that he had been spotted.

Merlin turned towards his 'guest' for answers, but all he got was another smile, though there was a moment of surprise on her face, as if she hadn't been expecting him to notice his second 'guest'. If things were any different, he wouldn't have. Not even Agravain could pull that off. Merlin blinked and his 'guests' were suddenly gone.

He didn't know who they were, or how they had gotten into his prison, but what he did know was that they weren't his enemies. Not directly, at least. However, he wasn't entirely sure they could be considered 'friends', either. The woman with white hair and red eyes was cryptic and not at all forthcoming with information, and the man.. He was dangerous. Something about him made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Merlin turned towards the moving image and saw the golden light quickly die down. As the overwhelming brightness faded, what came into view both shocked and amazed him.


	10. Peirasmos

_"Far beyond the razor-edge of your blade – There lies a prayer that will surpass – A dream I know will last throughout time"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 9: Peirasmos**

Shirō's cheek hit the mat again. Hard. He wasn't improving as fast as he wanted to, and that made him reckless. Careless. He would overreach, extend himself beyond his own limits, and leave himself open for a counter-attack. 'Patience' wasn't his strong suit, and neither was ensuring his own safety.

They'd argued over that very subject for _days._ He thought that it didn't matter what happened to him so long as he could protect someone else. He was perfectly willing to put his own life on the line without a second thought because that was who he was. Who he wanted to be.

Having been down that road before, she didn't want that for him. Unlike her, who even in life could regenerate from extremely serious wounds without Avalon and could fight long after she should've been out of breath, Shirō had more limits which wouldn't allow him to live the kind of life he wanted to for very long.

She wanted him to be stronger. To be able to protect himself. To be _willing_ to protect himself. She wanted him to realize that if he couldn't protect himself, he wouldn't be able to protect anyone who truly needed him. That was a hard lesson to learn, and it had cost her entirely too much to learn it. She didn't want him to learn it the same way he did.

Through her eyes, she watched Shirō struggle to get back to his feet at a slow crawl. His arms and legs shook and his breathing was labored. Sweat clung to his body and soaked his clothes. Yet, his eyes showed no sign of surrender. He wanted to prove himself to her. Prove that he was able to fight by her side.

It wasn't imaginable, really. He was still human. Though his projections were clearly advanced far beyond what he should've been capable of, his body was human. His mind was human. He couldn't think at superhuman speeds and, even if he could, his body couldn't react quickly enough to make those thoughts useful in battle against a Servant.

Yet he stood once more, defiantly so, in protest of her disallowing him from fighting. They'd been at it for hours now and he'd been beaten down to the mat dozens of times. Bruises already formed on his skin and there was a small amount of blood at the corner of his mouth. Yet, he stood and spoke the order once more.

"Again."

* * *

It was only because of how far away they were that Ilya wasn't blinded by the massive ray of golden light. She'd seen it once before, but it hadn't been anything like this. This was brighter. Stronger.

The light illuminated the night sky for several moments before it dissipated into nothingness, and every moment both her and Berserker were squarely focused on that light. A Servant with that amount of power at their disposal would be a grave threat to just about anyone, but it wasn't caused by a Servant.

It was caused by Shirō. It not only looked entirely similar to what she had seen before, but also _felt_ the same, and she wasn't the only one who could tell. Berserker's muscles rippled under his skin, trembling in what could only be described as _excitement._ He, too, could tell that this is what they'd seen before.

The light also told them that Shirō wasn't dead. To do something like _that_ , he had to be very much alive.

* * *

As the light emanating from Shirō dimmed, something amazing came into Arturia's vision. Shirō was standing tall, fully outfitted in Arcurant's armor form. Yet, Arcurant's blade form was also in his right hand. Though the golden light was no longer rocketing into the sky, it was still released from him in powerful waves accompanied by an intense amount of air pressure.

However, his eyes were glazed over. He wasn't conscious. Not really. Despite this, he still held the attention of everyone present. The fighting had stopped completely, the participants choosing instead to stare at Shirō.

Shirō took a small step forward and disappeared in a burst of speed unlike anything Arturia had previously seen before, only six traces of light guiding her eyes to where Shirō ended up. Then, it was over, and both armor and sword disappeared before Shirō fell flat once more as the phantom-servants faded into the night, clearly unable to fight after whatever Shirō had just done to them.

Nothing she had just seen made any sense to her and made even less sense to Lancer, who was standing just a few feet away from her, and Rider, who was still lurking away from where the battle had just taken place was frozen in place, once again completely stunned into disbelief after witnessing such an event take place. Neither Arturia nor Lancer could offer an explanation as to what happened when Archer and a distraught Rin showed back up.

* * *

" _What_ ** _was_** _that?"_ Morgan seethed, checking over the damage that had been done to her phantom-servants. Damage that wasn't being repaired. Damage that seemed to be very much permanent. Visibly, they seemed to be unharmed. Underneath the armor and flesh, however, the cores of her phantom-servants seemed to be irrevocably damaged. What's more is they were slow to respond to her commands and moved in strange, jerky motions.

Conveniently, Medea had been able to summon Agravain back just before that boy did.. whatever this was, so he wasn't any worse for wear aside from the small amount of damage he had taken from the fight itself.

"I don't know. I didn't know he was capable of.. that. He's _supposed_ to be human, isn't he?" Medea asked.

Morgan grit her teeth. No _human_ is capable of something like _that._ The sheer output he displayed put him on the same level as any of the real Servants, and the speed.. It was due to that speed she wasn't able to recall her phantom-servants in time. She'd completely lost track of his movements. They'd have to spend their time doing what they could to mend the damage to the existing phantom-servants rather than summoning another.

She cursed under her breath. It was still too early to use Vortigern, but without the other three, it would be risky to send out the others after seeing what that _boy_ is capable of, especially now that the other Servants seem to be helping him. Worst of all, she'd all but gone and given away where she was.

"For now, we work on fixing the damage done. Once Agravain heals, we'll send him back out to scout. If necessary he can be used as a sacrifice to buy us time." Morgan said, refocusing her efforts, completely unaware that every word she spoke watered the seeds of doubt within Medea's mind about her.

_'Just a bit longer. We'll be reunited soon, my son.'_ Thought Morgan, paying no attention to anything else around her.

* * *

Shirō woke up in a bed entirely too soft to be his own to the sound of voices arguing. Though his sore body protested when he slowly got up, it was his mind that got the biggest shock when he realized where he was.

Rin's bedroom.

Without a shirt.

Now, he knew that nothing had happened between him and Rin. He was committed to Arturia. Though in his past lives Rin had been important to him as well, he'd never do something like _that_ to Arturia. The one exception had been the tantric rituals to supply Arturia with Mana.

His cheeks reddened at the memories. Though they had been necessary, he couldn't honestly say that they weren't.. enjoyable. But that couldn't have been what happened here. His connection to Arturia was perfect and she could get all the Mana she needed without needing.. _that._ So why was he here?

Suddenly, a flood of memories of the previous night's battle came back to him. The phantom-servants, fighting Agravain, Lancer showing up, and then..

Shirō looked down to his chest and saw no evidence of an arrow previously being there. There wasn't even a scar. Yet, he could still remember that cold feeling of the arrow piercing his heart. Had Avalon saved him again?

The arguing outside the door got louder as he approached it, but halted suddenly when he opened the door. Arturia was there in front of the door with Excalibur on display, standing across from Archer who had his twin swords in his hands with Rin in between the two.

He could see it. How the moment the door opened Archer's entire body tensed up. Archer wanted to kill him right there. The way he was feeling, he wasn't sure he would be much help if Archer _did_ try, but he also knew that Arturia would never let that happen.

"I said stop it, Archer! Emiya isn't-" Rin started before being cut off by Archer.

"You don't have any more Command Seals to order me around with, Rin. Thanks to your foolish decision to go back, you're no longer a _proper_ Master." He said, glaring at Shirō.

_That_ surprised Shirō. By this point, Rin normally had two Command Seals. What had she used her last one on?

Before Rin could retort, Shirō projected the very same blades Archer held in his hands. It was a bluff, but it was all he could to do diffuse the situation. "If you think I'm just going to let you kill me, you're out of your mind, Archer."

Archer grit his teeth. _Whatever_ this Shirō was capable of, he didn't know. He was much more competent than he should have been and that strange light they had seen had him questioning whether or not now was the best time to strike. Rin no longer had any hold over him, but Saber was still at her best.

"Hn. Whatever. I'm out of here." He said, going to a nearby open window and jumping out.

Shirō breathed a sigh of relief, loosening his grip on the blades in his hand before banishing the projections. However, he realized that now it was Rin whose eyes were fixated on him. He knew that there would be a very.. _tense_ conversation to have, but a question of his own was at the forefront of his mind.

"Where's my shirt?"

A small part of him found it funny to watch Rin's face turn more and more red as the question lingered.

* * *

"That friend of yours really is something. I don't know exactly where that power of his comes from, but I have my doubts that he's even a normal human. Just after I was summoned, my _previous_ Master ordered me to kill that kid for being a witness to my fight with that girl and her Servant. One of those other things ended up getting to him before I could. Cut almost all the way through his spinal cord." Lancer stated, resting against a tree in a secluded thicket of woods. "That should have killed him, but it didn't. Same goes for the arrow he took protecting that girl."

Shinji had a hard time coming to terms with the newfound knowledge he had of Emiya Shirō and the latest display he had seen from a distance and heard of from Lancer's retelling was even more difficult to take in. Sure, Emiya had always been a bit different from normal people, but that didn't explain anything he'd seen.

"How strong would you estimate him to be? I don't have any way to gauge his strength compared to a normal Magus." Shinji asked. Lancer laughed.

"A normal Magus? Kid, he would be able to deal with any normal _Servant_ in the same way an adult could win a fight against a _child._ I haven't even seen half of what he must be capable of, but the speed he moved at? That energy he just casually let off? That sword and armor of his? No. Comparing him to a Magus would be like comparing a match to the sun. The kid is a monster and while I'm always up for a fair fight, I'd really prefer not to learn what else he might be capable of, especially if that Servant of his is also involved."

Lancer's answer rocked Shinji to his core. He had been assuming that Emiya was just an extremely talented Magus. But if what Lancer was saying was true, he had been _lucky_ that Emiya didn't come after him once his control over Rider was severed. He hadn't decided whether or not he would attempt to fight him again, but it was becoming clear to him that it wasn't even a real option. He was so far and beyond what he ever thought possible for Emiya Shirō. Then, a thought came to him.

"You said that those.. what, phantom-servants? You said they weren't very powerful on their own. Why didn't he just use.. whatever that was when the fight started?"

Lancer shrugged. "I don't know. Apparently their power acts like a kind of mirror, so whatever level you fight on, they'll match it. It was kind of like fighting myself in a way, but whatever he did to them got them to leave real quick. Maybe he was waiting for something, or maybe he didn't want to reveal what he was capable of."

* * *

Apparently the matter of his missing shirt had been too embarrassing for Rin to tell, so it was Arturia who recounted what had happened to his shirt, despite Rin's attempts at protesting. The last thing Rin had seen was a Mana arrow sticking out of his chest, so upon returning she had run to him and torn open his shirt to put pressure on the wound. Only, there was no wound to explain the blood that had soaked through his shirt.

Which is what brought about many of her questions that he was unable to answer.

"I don't really remember what happened. One minute I was fighting and the next I woke up here. Actually, why am I here?" Shirō asked. Again, clearly realizing what implications might have been made, Rin's face reddened.

"Y-you're just here because it was closer than your place and we don't know if those _things_ are going to be looking for you after.. whatever it was happened. Your Servant won't say anything even though _she_ was there."

Shirō turned his head towards Arturia, who sat next to him, and they shared a look. A look that told him she expected a better explanation after they had some privacy. Unfortunately for them both, he wasn't hiding much from Rin in his answers. All he could _really_ remember was being in that cold, dark place and calling out to Arcurant. He turned back to Rin, questions of his own on his mind.

"What happened to Lancer?"

Rin shrugged. "He took off not too long after we got back. Said his job was done, whatever that job was. I don't believe for a second that he's really on our side. It's bad enough we still don't know who his Master is."

_Shirō_ knew who Lancer's Master was. At this point in the war, anyways. However, he couldn't tell her without putting her at risk. Too many things related to that fake priest had come close to killing every person he cared about in one life or another. Arturia. Rin. Sakura. Taiga. Even Shinji. He'd always found a way to hurt him through hurting others. That _wouldn't_ be the case this time around. Retribution from the Mage's Association or not, he wouldn't allow that man to hurt anyone else ever again.

"What do you plan to do now, Rin?" Arturia asked, breaking the short silence that had fallen upon the room.

Shirō's eyes widened realizing Rin was no longer Archer's Master and that she was at greater risk than ever. Without Archer protecting her, Kirei Kotomine had any number of things he could do to hurt Rin. She no longer had any 'worth' as a Master, but that man always found ways to make people.. _useful_ to him and his motives.

Rin's expression changed to a downcast one. "I don't know. I might not be a _proper_ Master, but without my Mana Archer won't last very long, so I guess it depends on whether or not Archer comes back before he runs out of Mana."

It killed Shirō not to say anything. He knew that Archer could last for _days_ without Rin, and that he might even go to Caster, which would complicate matters far and beyond what they already were. If Caster truly was working with Morgan, Archer would become _another_ enemy they would have to face, only if that were the case it would only be him and Arturia fighting. That meant he didn't have to hold back, but that also meant he _couldn't_ hold back. He knew full well just how strong Unlimited Blade Works was. That alone would cause problems for Arturia since he was the only one he knew that had a chance to win. Even _that man_ was rendered powerless when inside the reality marble.

"If he does not return, do you plan on taking refuge at the Church?" Arturia asked carefully. In response, Rin let out a laugh.

"No. I don't really have the stomach to put up with Kirei for longer than necessary. Besides, it's not like I can't protect myself."

Shirō frowned slightly. It was true that Rin was a capable Magus, able to fend off Caster pretty reliably, but in the times she faced off against Kirei, she'd always ended up nearly dying, only surviving because the fake priest knew killing her was a waste of potential things he could use her for.

"Either way, I plan on figuring out what is happening at that temple. As a Magus I can't just overlook everything that has been happening. From the records of the previous wars, nothing about this war is normal." Rin said, much to Shirō's displeasure. She'd be safer if she stopped being involved. Especially after last night. The phantom-servants would consider her a combatant from now on.

Shirō knew her, though. Once she decided to do something, saying it was difficult to talk her out of it would be an understatement. He looked to Arturia and they shared another look before he spoke again. "Well, I still want to help, but without Archer it's going to be nearly impossible to get to the temple if those.. things keep stopping us. This time we were lucky that Lancer was there to help since without him things would have gone differently in a bad way. We'll need to find someone to help us."

Rin rolled her eyes. "Who are you going to ask for help? Do you even know anyone who can?"

"Maybe. Give me some time." Shirō said, the slightest of grins on his face. He did, in fact, know who could help. He was sure that Arturia knew exactly what he was thinking. In fact, he could imagine her predicting this in the first place. After all, he did tell her everything about his meeting with Ilya, and they both already knew her fairly well even if she didn't know them yet. With her and Berserker as close allies, they'd definitely all be safer. _That man_ would also need to go through Berserker, Arturia, _and_ him to get to Ilya if she were with them, and Shirō already knew how to win. He knew he _could_ win. That was enough.

"Hey. How _did_ you survive, anyways?" Rin asked, surprising Shirō. He thought quickly to what might be a good answer since even he didn't know what it was that kept him alive and breathing.

So, he shrugged "I'm not too sure. I remember when I was eleven I ended up breaking my arm and that the doctor said I was healing in record time. Same goes for any other injury I've ended up getting. I guess I just have some kind of strong healing factor." He said. It wasn't a complete lie. As far as he knew, Avalon had been healing him ever since it had been implanted by Kiritsugu.

But, he found it strange. Though his body was sore, he didn't feel any bit of weakness. In fact, he felt quite a bit stronger than he felt he should have after taking an arrow to the heart. _That_ definitely wasn't the result of Avalon.

* * *

She knew who she was, now. The Grail had finally given back her memories. Most of them, anyhow. However, she was still not entirely corporeal and information still flooded her mind, the newest of which was a stream of bright golden light that illuminated the sky. Shirō Emiya was the source of this. She'd seen it before. However, the attack seemed to be rather impotent. No lasting damage had been done to that giant Berserker, and though the _things_ he seemed to be fighting were gone after the attack, not one of them had been injured by her eyes.

Shirō seemed to be capable in a fight against Assassin, but it was obvious to her that Assassin was simply playing with him. In a real fight, no human stood a chance against a Servant. _They_ were better in nearly every way, though she herself had a much more important role to play much like in life.

She also differed from the others because, as the Grail had shown her, she was going to be required to have a 'host'. She could not exist in corporeal form without one, nor could she do the duties assigned to her by the Grail. She'd seen who her future host to be was. The Grail had chosen well enough that she could easily be mistaken as a close relative and like her, she was one who took her faith seriously and believed strongly that all should live life as honest and decent people.

However, there were other matters to consider besides her host. The Grail had imparted upon her the knowledge that the war itself had become highly unorthodox and several outside factors were tainting the whole ordeal. The supposed 'overseer' wasn't chosen by the Grail or any governing body for the task that she soon would be relieving him of and those _things_ kept interfering where they weren't welcome. They were among several other issues that plagued the war for the grail, and it would be her job to investigate and set things right so that the war for the grail could be conducted properly and a wish be made.

* * *

Merlin was confused. That mysterious guest of his had knowledge of Shirō that he didn't, and that included his source of power. Initially, he figured it came from having Avalon sealed within him for the majority of his life, but now.. Now, he wasn't so sure.

Arcurant was made by materializing a piece of Shirō's soul. It was more or less his own power in concentrated form. Or, that was what it was supposed to be. He had assumed that it would become something similar to Excalibur, but the similarities were few and far between. They both generated an immense amount of heat, light, and power, but to the naked eye it would seem Excalibur did more damage after an attack.

However, he knew better. _Whatever_ Arcurant was doing, it was doing _something_. One of the things he learned early in life was an attack you couldn't see was usually the one that did the most damage.

The few short moments he had direct contact with Shirō's soul, he could tell that he was no ordinary human. His assumption was that was just a result of his tampering, but like everything else he was having second thoughts about that, too. Both of his guests were obviously powerful, and their interest in Shirō only raised more questions where little answers could be found.

After rethinking things and casting away his assumptions, he mapped out Shirō's progress and found that even in his past, or rather _pasts_ , there were always sudden spikes where he overcame his previous limits by incredibly wide margins, often starting near or around the start of the Grail War.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that what often came with the result of someone surpassing their own limits, things like a personality shift or a change in the source of one's power, were completely absent. The best example was his Unlimited Blade Works. Though one of his future selves, or rather, all of his future selves had been the ones to demonstrate this ability first, _they_ were still _him._ He was simply accessing his own latent ability when using Unlimited Blade Works himself.

That trend continued through every path of time he followed. Shirō never once appeared to use power that wasn't initially his. Rather, he seemed to be completely incapable of such. He was incompatible with just about everything. Each time he needed to be stronger, to be _better_ than he was before, he simply accessed more of his own latent ability.

Was that what was happening now? His _guest_ had alluded to such, if not outright stated it in a cryptic manner. Was he just able to access more of his own power? If so, just _what_ was he? Where did his power come from? The more he thought about it, the more concerned he became.

Under his robes, the pendant around his neck vibrated slightly and started to warm the skin beneath it. Merlin had an idea of who to go to for answers, but there was no guarantee that his most treasured possession, the Galator, would work. He'd used it far too recently. It would be at least another week before he could use it again to get the answers he sought.

* * *

Agravain could tell she was there long before she stopped masking her presence. He'd be a poor assassin if he couldn't tell when _he_ was the one being watched. She clearly had something on her mind. She wasn't like Morgan. _She_ actually had redeeming qualities such as thinking things through before acting rashly and being cautious when it was called for.

"Is there something you needed, Medea?"

He watched her eyes widen slightly in surprise before stepping into the dimly lit room calmly and slowly. She took another moment before speaking. "Do you remember anything from the time you were under Morgan's thrall? Do you remember fighting that boy?"

"I remember _everything._ Willingly or not. Why?"

Medea walked closer to Agravain, where he was shackled to the wall by his wrists and ankles. Morgan's decision, obviously. Only those restraints and a wall of bars stood between them. Yet, she had the feeling even if he weren't restrained or imprisoned, _she_ wouldn't be the one he would be after. "I need your opinion of the boy. I need to know how strong you think he is."

Agravain let out a humorless chuckle. "Is this _you_ asking, or is this your partner?" She didn't hesitate to answer.

"Me."

The room fell silent as Agravain took a moment to think about what and how much to tell her. Moreover, he was curious as to why she was asking in the first place. "The _boy_ , as you two call him, is strong. He could keep up with me better than any human should be able to. If he wasn't holding back, I'd say that not even my own abilities would do much good in a fight against him."

"You think of him that highly?"

He shook his head. "No. I only know what my instincts tell me, and they tell me that if it were just me and him, I'd be at his mercy. He's something _else._ Something other than what he appears to be. You'd know that if you ever left this temple."

Silence overtook the room once more for several achingly long seconds before Agravain had a thought. "You _do_ know that, don't you? You met with him, using your magic. That's why you're worried."

"He was.. interesting. Interesting and _fast._ Fast enough that even I could tell he was holding back. I want to know why."

"Having second thoughts about your partnership?"

Medea chose to speak plainly. "Even if I were, it wouldn't matter. Even that attack of his didn't deter Le Fay. She says there's only three more summons to go after we get the others repaired. Once the other three are summoned, we're going to make our final attack. No amount of allies will be able to help that boy and your King. Not when she releases the restraints on Vortigern."

"Other three?" Agravain questioned.

"Palamedes, Lancelot, and Mordred."

Agravain cursed under his breath. "That _witch._ Using _her_ comrades against her. And them.."

Medea stiffened at the word 'witch', but as it wasn't being used to label _her_ , she was more forgiving. "You make it sound like these three are especially important. Who are they?"

"Palamedes was one of the strongest Knights of the Round Table and was part of the reason Pellinore decided to join, but the impact he'll have is nothing compared to the other two. Lancelot.. He was a victim of fate. Before that, he was one of my King's most trusted and considered the strongest of us. If it weren't for him, Camelot would've been much less than what it was."

"And Mordred?"

Agravain sighed deeply, remembering the child. One of his greatest failures was not figuring out who Mordred was until it was too late. "Mordred was a victim of bad parenting. That _woman's_ doing more than anything. A strong Knight in every regard but just not headstrong enough to overcome _her_ brainwashing."

"I see. I suppose I have nothing to worry about, then. If your King is unable to fight, there's no reason to worry about her or the boy." Medea stated.

Agravain shook his head once more. "Even if that were true, the moment _she_ summons Mordred, your partnership will be at its end. She'll kill you. Maybe use that man of yours to do it. She's only interested in revenge. That's all she's been interested in for a very, very long time."

Medea, who was in the process of walking away, came to a halt when he mentioned Sōichirō. The one person she cared about. The _only_ person who cared about her.

"It's not too late to leave before that happens. She's so caught up in her revenge against my King that she won't bother looking for you." Agravain stated.

For the first time. Medea truly considered it. She couldn't risk Morgan harming her beloved. Yet.. "No. Even if that were the case, I still need to make a wish upon the Grail if I'm to stay in this world. That means your King and all the others are my enemy." She said, walking out of the room.


	11. Encomium

_"Righteousness alone cannot save the world."_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 10: E** **ncomium**

Shirō stood atop a mountain of countless blades, overlooking the desolate wasteland that was his Unlimited Blade Works. Every single thing which could be classified as a 'sword' that he had ever seen existed within this space. It had become an unconscious act to replicate any blade he ever came across. However, he had never truly examined the vast majority of these swords. Sure, he could identify them with a glance, but he never _knew_ them. The few he did know caused him pain to hold, bringing back memories of his failures and mistakes. Yet, he ensured they each maintained a tidy spot of their own within this endless world of swords.

Kanshō and Bakuya, the married swords his future self once used, stood embedded atop a pile of like-sized swords. The small, nimble blades had saved him more times than he could count. Certainly more than they had been used attempting to take his life.

Caladbolg, an unorthodox sword with a spiral-like appearance, rested at the top of what could only be described as a tree made of swords, the very tip of which was the highest point. It was embedded in the tree-like formation hilt first and could be seen very clearly from quite a ways away.

Balmung, the sword used to slay a dragon and bring victory to its original wielder, was placed above a small mound of lesser, smaller swords. Though Balmung was once too big and heavy for him to use properly, that was no longer the case.

There were more swords that had their own spots of honor. Durandal, Gram, Ascalon, Dáinsleif, Sword of Paracelsus. More. But the ones he could barely even look at were far from the places he frequented to ease the pain of reminding him what he had lost.

Arondight. Clarent. Excalibur Galatine. Caliburn. Excalibur. They all stood together atop a bare, dirt hill overlooking the single body of water within the space. A small lake that reflected the omnipresent light like a mirror. The entire area, though limited, was barren of any other swords. _Those_ were too important to him, too important to _her._ They deserved something more. He'd used each of them, but extremely sparingly. If their wielders couldn't all be in the same place, he thought that at least their swords could. There were more to find and bring to rest there, but his duties usually got in the way of his searching.

However, over time, he began to feel bad for the swords he didn't know. After all, they were the only constant he had left in his life that point. So, one by one, while he had time, he would pick up, clean, and organize the swords that lacked any place of deference within his Unlimited Blade Works. It would never get done, of course. That battle was lost before it had even begun. But while he still had time, he could get to know the blades that had previously been no more than the ground he would walk on.

* * *

Half a day had passed since Shirō woke up, but there was still no sign of Archer. Rin had insisted on going out to look for him on her own and both he and Arturia were powerless to stop her. Rin had also insisted on them staying at her home in the meantime in case Archer came back on his own.

Shirō didn't mind, though. It gave him and Arturia a chance to talk about what had happened. Unfortunately, he didn't really have any better answers for her.

"All I remember is being in some dark place where I couldn't move. I wanted to get up and keep fighting, but my body wouldn't respond. Then, I called out to Arcurant. The next thing I remember is waking up here." Shirō explained. He could tell from the look on her face that wasn't the answer she wanted. But, they had other issues to talk about.

"Those things we keep running into.. Unless it's some wild, _wild_ coincidence, Morgan must be involved. She's here, and she must be working with Caster." He said.

Arturia didn't disagree. Medea, even resting on a ley line day and night, would never be able to identify her and then make puppets out of her own comrades on her own. If she had that level of power herself, she'd be able to bring down the Lesser Grail in the first place. There would be no need to continue fighting them.

"If the two of them are working together, we'll need to change our approach. Otherwise we'll keep being pushed back. If Archer does not return to Rin, there's no reason for you to continue hiding your ability." Artruia said, surprising Shirō.

"Maybe. But I don't want to put Rin in danger. If Archer signs a contract with Caster or someone else, he'll still be after me and he knows how to get to me. Even now. Whether we leave Rin behind or take her with us, she's going to be in danger." He replied. Even after hundreds of years of experience in his mind, he still valued those he was close to over himself.

The two of them sat there in silence. Neither of them wanted any harm to come to Rin, but whether or not Shirō stopped holding back there was a non-insignificant chance of it happening anyways. They also both knew Rin wasn't the only person they were looking to protect. Rin was in danger because of Archer and Kirei, Sakura was in danger because of Kirei and Zouken. Ilya was in danger because of Kirei and Gilgamesh. He couldn't be in three places at once.

Shirō and Arturia turned towards each other, having reached the same conclusion at almost exactly the same time. "We're not going to be able to protect everyone if they're all spread apart. It won't be long before _he_ comes for Ilya, and we'll never know when Archer might strike. Rider can protect Sakura from Zouken, but not from Kirei by herself. If we want to win..."

".. We can't fight a war on three fronts." Arturia said, finishing Shirō's sentence. They knew what they had to do, but the hardest part would be convincing Rin while maintaining their secret. Even if they _did_ tell her, she might think they're crazy or lying. Or she might just be unable to believe such a thing. But, they had to try.

* * *

Rider didn't know what to think about Shirō anymore. There was so much mystery and intrigue surrounding him that it made finding a place to start learning who and what he was completely impossible. Yet, those who were drawn to him were obviously those of the Magus persuasion, and he had an _immense_ amount of power at his disposal despite any evidence of formal training as a means to harness that power.

When she saw him struck by that arrow, she froze up. She didn't know what to do or what she _could_ do. She'd just barely arrived in time to see him die, or so she thought. Then that strange energy came pouring out of him and he was up again. She'd blinked and he'd moved faster than she could perceive, making some kind of strike against their opponents, and then he was down again.

She couldn't just stay on the sidelines anymore. There were too many strange occurrences going on. Shirō, the phantom-servants, Shinji becoming Lancer's Master.. If she wanted to protect Sakura, she'd need to take action. Staying in that house near that _worm_ would undoubtedly lead to something bad happening. Yet, they couldn't turn to the Church. Sakura was never recognized as a Master and even if she had been, they wouldn't take Sakura in with her still around.

No, there was only one place she could trust. But, getting permission could be problematic..

"Rider?" Came Sakura's voice, jolting Rider out of her thoughts. She turned to her Master and was surprised to see a serious and determined look on her face. "What.. What happened last night?" She asked, holding up a picture frame. Inside was a picture of Sakura and Shirō, posing for the photo. However, the glass covering the picture was cracked.

* * *

Shinji spent his whole life wanting to be a Magus. To live up to the Matou family name. What he lacked in talent and proficiency was offset by the sheer amount of information he was able and willing to sift through to find an answer to a question.

His research usually got him at least close to answers he sought, but this this time was different. Every lead he tracked down only ended in additional questions. External influences on the Grail Wars. The fighting capability of a Magus compared to a Servant. Magical constructs, Mystic Codes, and Noble Phantasms descriptions. Bodily acceleration. Time alteration. Projection and Reinforcement.

Each subject brought new questions but no answers to the one question he wanted answered more than anything: _What is Emiya_ _Shirō?_

Everything about him conflicted with the information he had access to, but that wasn't the most disturbing thing he had come to realize. It was the _external influences_ that got to him. Those things, phantom-servants, were different from any kind of familiar on record. It was unlikely a Heroic Spirit was able to create or summon them on their own. The amount of trouble they gave real Servants meant someone not meant to be involved in the war was, indeed, involved.

According to the records he could find in the Matou library, if a Grail War is being subverted by outside influences and becomes increasingly irregular, the Grail will summon an additional Servant to protect itself and restore order. However, it's heavily implied that things will become _much_ more chaotic before order is restored if this were to happen. Something about Magic and rules not mixing very well.

There were only a few sources of information left to tap, but he was hesitant to do so since it involved asking people directly. Tohsaka would sooner kill him before answering his questions. Rider might not kill him outright, but she'd never give him any answers willingly. Though he _did_ give him Lancer, He didn't trust Kotomine in the least.

That left a total of two people. Sakura and Shirō himself. Sakura was probably sheltered from any real information, and he wasn't sure what Shirō might do if he saw him. That Servant of his likely wouldn't let him get very close anyways. Not without a valid reason.

Though a plan had began to form in his mind, he couldn't call it tasteful in the least. Not the way he'd have to go about it. Even in a best-case scenario, he'd run the chance of becoming something approaching a villain if things didn't go well, and after knowing him for so many years he knew exactly how Shirō treated villains. He'd seen it first hand when a member of another school's archery club had tried to assault Sakura years ago. To an untrained eye, it had turned into a full-blown brawl when Shirō stepped in and the other school's club members attacked him. Yet, that would imply they had a chance of winning in the first place when Shirō walked away from that so-called _fight_ without a scratch on him.

Before that day, there wasn't a single soul at school who would have thought Shirō capable of any kind of violence. His open, warm eyes and gentle attitude made him a prime candidate for bullying and, indeed, before Shinji stepped into Shirō's life he had been bullied without fighting back. He never seemed to get very upset or angry, nor did he seem weak or cowardly. He had his own kind of strength about him that didn't involve violence in any way. That is, until Shinji had seen it with his own two eyes. The strength and technique he displayed that day should've clued him into Shirō being a Magus. Nobody without an immense amount of training could do what he did that day, and the only other club Shirō belonged to was the going-home club. Not to mention the lack of any kind of emotion on his face through it all when only minutes before he was smiling and laughing.

No, he had to do his best to avoid becoming Shirō's definition of the world 'villain' by all costs if he wanted to stay alive and healthy.

* * *

Medea let out a contented sigh as she draped half of her body over her beloved Sōichirō in post-coital bliss. Her head rested on his chest, directly over his heart where it quickly returned to the slow, calm beating that she had so familiarized herself with. She basked in these moments of peace she had, for there was no guarantee she'd be able to do so in the future. So in these short moments in time, she preferred them to be uninterrupted by even straying thoughts. Yet, ever since she had tested _that boy_ , curious thoughts of him invaded her mind when all she wanted to think about was Sōichirō.

"What thoughts bother you, Medea?"

Sōichirō's sudden and uncharacteristic words brought a smile to her face. From the outside, he seemed aloof and almost entirely unfeeling, but she knew better. For whatever reason, the man cared for her more than she felt she deserved. Because of that, she had long since vowed to never lead him astray, lie to, or betray him.

"That Emiya boy.. Is he in one of your classes?" She asked.

Sōichirō nodded "He takes my Ethics class. Idealistic and naive, but a good student."

"Did you ever suspect he was.. how he is?" She asked. Sōichirō didn't have any kind of real magical background to speak of, so he wouldn't have noticed any signs of the boy having an inclination for magic, but there was so much more to that boy than the magic he commanded. Yet, Sōichirō's relpy stunned her.

"Emiya has always been a step ahead of what is expected of him. An extra page on an assignment, picking up the slack for the Archery club, or fixing broken things around the school that should've stayed broken. Even athletically he found ways to surpass his limits in record time. I had thought it was the result of excellent parenting." Sōichirō said, uncharacteristically long-winded.

Medea wasn't surprised he had noticed as much as she did, but that he seemed to speak from a shared point of curiosity. She smirked. "My love, you make it sound like you took a personal interest in him long before I showed up. Were you planning on adopting?"

The smallest of smiles met Sōichirō's face, both at her words and the thought of him ever being a father, a thought that was previously off the table completely for him. "The first assignment I give to a new class is an ethical dilemma that had always ended in a no-win situation. I designed it that way to teach students what it means to be in such a situation where hard choices need to be made. At first, Emiya stood on principal against the idea of a no-win situation. But when I told him I'd fail him for the semester if he didn't complete the assignment, he came back the next day obviously lacking any sleep with a completed assignment. He presented a win scenario in a no-win assignment." He said. Medea hung on his every word, never previously having heard him speak so much in so short of a time.

"That surprised you?" She asked, wanting him to keep talking. He nodded.

"That _shocked_ me. I had designed the assignment specifically to prevent any student doing something like that, and he still found a way. If it weren't for his idealistic approach, he'd be my best student by far."

The bedroom fell silent again as Medea contemplated his words. Then, she asked the question she herself didn't have an answer to. "Does it bother you that he's our enemy? That.. we may end up being the ones to kill him?"

Sōichirō didn't answer right away, which in itself was surprising. He was always quick to have an answer to such questions. Now, he took his time to think about it. Then, finally, he answered, and it wasn't an answer she expected.

"Yes. He stands for an ideal that I myself would be a hypocrite to hold but still admire, and he's the only one I've seen that can truly embody that ideal. Yet, I place your life above his, but his over my own, though I would be able to keep living so long as I had you regardless of whether he was alive or not."

A sad smile crept onto Medea's face. "I'm sure it's the same for him and whatever woman he holds dear." However, Sōichirō shook his head.

"No. Emiya is idealistic, but the solution to the no-win scenario he devised was self-sacrifice, and every assignment he's completed since has told me what kind of man he is. Even now, he would put our lives above his own simply because we can exist peacefully. I'm sure he's capable of killing, but it would have to be a truly irredeemable person to be on the end of his blade. Neither of us, even if he knew everything about us, fits that description." Sōichirō said.

Though his words made her feel guilty for how they would most certainly be at least complicit in his death due to Morgan's seemingly blind rage, they also made her wonder what kind of person it would take for the boy to make that decision to stop seeking a peaceful resolution. She wondered what other kinds of power he'd reveal if the situation demanded it. He was obviously more than a match for low-class Servants, impossible though that should be. Could he beat an average Servant? An above-average Servant? Could he beat her?

* * *

Never one to just let things play out, Merlin was once again sifting through Shirō's memories, but was quickly realizing that someone or something didn't want him seeing certain things. Each time he'd reach a memory that didn't match what he had seen before, he would be violently ejected from his own spell like when his _visitors_ had shown up. There usually wasn't enough time to analyze the memory to see what exactly the discrepancy was. However, he was starting to see a pattern. There were faint glimpses of one or even both of his recent visitors in each of the memories he was forced out of, like shadows in a dark room. He couldn't actually _see_ them, but if he opened his senses he could _feel_ them. Rather, their previous presences. They weren't actively responsible for the pain he was in from being repeatedly slammed against rock surfaces.

Somehow, for some reason, they were shadowing Shirō through various timelines. They never seemed to actively interfere with him. As far as he could tell, they were just observers. Though Shirō was no doubt an interesting person with a lot going on in his life, there wasn't really any defining reason why they chose him to watch. _He_ chose Shirō because of his connection to Arturia. Yet, ever since he started, things have been getting stranger and stranger. To the best of his knowledge, _those_ instances of Shirō didn't exist, and his actions wouldn't have caused any butterfly effects to make them exist.

Unlimited Blade Works. That skill, that ability alone made Shirō a force of nature. Without an adequate amount of time to prepare in advance, there weren't a lot of instances where an opponent of his would be able to overcome their vast disadvantage within his Reality Marble, and even outside of it his ability to call forth nearly perfect replications of various powerful swords in an instant made him wildly dangerous as an opponent. He wouldn't even bet on himself with time to prepare before he had seen Shirō's seemingly newfound abilities.

Yet, it was these newfound abilities that made him worry. The Armor and The Sword should've never been able to be used at the same time. That amount of energy should've never been released by Shirō. He never should've been able to use Kiritsugu's Time-Alter. Yet, Shirō was capable of all these impossible things. _Why?_

At this rate of growth, Shirō would have more to worry about after the Grail War was over. By this point he's almost certainly drawn the attention of those in high places. Beating Morgan and destroying the Grail wouldn't be enough at this point. Even with Arturia around, Shirō wouldn't be able to live a quiet, peaceful life. Even he knew that the world of Magi was anything but quiet and peaceful, and they'll drag anyone with enough talent or power into that world kicking and screaming if they have to. Offers of peerage, requests and demands of service, spies and assassins, and constant surveillance were just some of the things he'd have to deal with, and while he'd put money on Shirō for almost any single duel, he wouldn't be able to fight an army of highly talented Magi on his own.

The more abnormalities that presented themselves in the Grail War, the more the peaceful life he envisioned for Arturia and Shirō faded away.

* * *

A deep scowl was on Morgan's face as for the third time that day her once-obedient phantom-servants seemed to struggle with her commands, sluggishly following through like they were encased in mud. Ever since that _boy_ had done that _thing_ , they'd been acting more and more odd. But, at the end of the day she was the one who summoned them, and that meant they _would_ obey her, even if she had to use a little extra Mana to ensure that.

She didn't like Medea's clandestine visits with Agravain in his cell. The more time those two had to speak, the more time that useless Assassin had to brainwash her partner. She needed to either hurry things along or cut out Agravain's tongue, both of which were equally appealing to her. Causing that man pain was _such_ a good way to blow off some steam. Especially after being able to hear Medea in the throes of passion even all the way from the summoning room. Yet, she had to suffer through it as that was the only way she could replenish her Mana. Rather, that was the way she _preferred_ to replenish her Mana. The ley line could accommodate them both, but that would mean spending less time with her _darling._ The thought nearly brought bile to her throat. That man was a weakness that could be exploited by their enemies.

However.. that also meant that same weakness could be exploited by herself is Medea were to step out of line. It would be a simple thing to erase the man's existence before her very eyes, and the threat of which would undoubtedly give Medea pause if she thought about parting ways too soon. After all, she was a crucial component in the summonings and a valuable pawn. Nay, she might even qualify as a bishop if she could learn to stay quiet during such activities.

Now, she prepared the fonts they needed to summon the final three. To do so at once would require more Mana than they had access to at one time, which meant siphoning Mana from the ley line, or that man in Medea's case, and pouring them into magical constructs that would act as a kind of battery to ensure success. Any leftover Mana would be able to be retrieved afterwards.

It did occur to her that the quickest way to end this stalemate would be to unleash Vortigern, who sat silently and obediently in the courtyard, but the thought vanished quickly from her mind. She wouldn't be able to deal with Vortigern if she were to somehow lose control without the last three. After all, you needed experienced Dragonslayers to slay a dragon as mighty as Vortigern. Gawain might have faced Vortigern once, but he had the help of _her_ at the time. As much as she hated to admit it, _she_ was certainly powerful enough that unleashing Vortigern and not having the other three could spell ruin for her. Especially now that they were acting so strange.

* * *

Her manifestation by the Grail came with complications. First, she had to complete the process by choosing a 'host'. Luckily for her, she was highly compatible with a true believer like herself that just happened to be nearby and share a surprising number of similarities with her as she was in life. No doubt this was influenced in some way to make getting a host easier, but she didn't have much room to complain.

Secondly, there was the fact that she, herself, was an irregular occurrence within the context of the Grail Wars. She couldn't become incorporeal like proper Servants and, because of her host, she required food, water, and sleep. This was something she discovered the hard way.

Thirdly, she was in the wrong country. She'd been brought into the world at the same place she had left it, which meant the location of the Grail War was thousands upon thousands of miles away, and she had to get there by her own means. Yet, she didn't see this as a downside. She got to see for herself what had become of her country after her demise. She had the opportunity to experience new things and meet new people, many of which were kind to her.

Now, she was waiting for her transportation. She'd board something called an 'Airplane' and it would take her to Japan by flying through the sky. The concept alone amazed her more than the horseless carriages. Then, she heard an announcement that made her smile.

" _Bonjour, mesdames et messieurs, l'embarquement pour le vol 7 d'Asiana Airlines à destination d'Osaka, au Japon, va bientôt commencer."_


	12. Overture

_"Of what worth is a king who fails to protect the powerless?"_

**Fate/Brave Shine**

**Chapter 12: Overture**

Arturia and a contingent of her men rode out to a town that was said to be under attack by raiders. Luckily it wasn't too far away, less than a day's ride, otherwise they wouldn't have any chance of saving the town or its villagers. They rode fast and hard, their mighty steeds giving it everything they had and even a little more after sensing their rider's urgency.

When they got to the small town, there was less chaos than the messenger had led her to believe. He had said there were _hundreds_ of seafolk bandits, which was why she had decided to go herself. Caliburn had the power to put down a few hundred bandits easily, and it would help ingratiate her to her own people.

Yet, after reaching the town, there were little more than a few dozen, and they all seemed to be fleeing empty-handed. Though she did her duty and, with her men, struck down the bandits they saw with ease, their demeanor told her there was something they were scared of within the town. That intrigued her, but it also worried her. After all, it wouldn't be the first time one of Merlin's experiments got out of control, and he did seem fond of testing such things on bandits and raiders. Yet, she could sense no malevolent presence. It wasn't some kind of monster or demon. At least, not completely. Though she couldn't feel any kind of magical energy, she did sense _something_ in the town.

As she made her way to the center, Arturia was convinced that the report was indeed accurate. There _had_ been hundreds of bandits. The vast majority were dead already. She noted that the bodies of the seafolk had either arrow or sword wounds, and sometimes both. Was it a group, then? If that wasn't the case and it was indeed a single person, they could very well be an ally and candidate for her Round Table with any luck.

However, the only thing at the center of the town were more bodies of seafolk and the bell tower which could be seen from outside the town. She ordered her men to fan out and check for survivors, but they returned only with the town's residents. Nobody else was found alive, and none of the bodies, seafolk or villager, indicated they had the ability to kill _hundreds_ of people. Though she was worried there was something like that running around in her realm without the knowledge of anyone else, she mostly felt thankful that whoever it was had intervened. Despite being fairly small, the town was a major commercial hub and things of importance, from weapons to food to large sums of money passed through it every day, which would make it a prime target for bandits if it wasn't so close to Camelot. There was no telling what the bandits might've been after. Yet, she was sure that with this number, so far from the shore, it wasn't something small or insignificant like money or food. It wouldn't be until she returned to Camelot that she would find out that a Grimoire of unbelievable power, which Merlin had used a merchant to procure and deliver, was in the town when the bandits attacked. She shuddered to think what would happen if the seafolk had managed to obtain such an item.

She never noticed the presence atop the bell tower that cast its gaze upon her the moment she appeared on the road racing towards the town. She didn't see him, the small, sad smile on his face, nor his strange appearance. The only reason she looked up to the bell tower was because a strong wind jostled it just enough to make it ring a single time. Yet, by that time, the person had already disappeared into nothing.

* * *

Shirō awoke to a gradually brightening room as the morning sunlight poured in through the windows. The previous soreness his body had felt was gone, as if he hadn't nearly died. With him in his bed was Arturia, who was pressed against his side with her hand resting over his heart, the place where the arrow had struck.

Archer never came back and Rin couldn't find him anywhere. It was agreed that it would be safer for her to stay at the Emiya compound, though it took Arturia several minutes to convince her. She needed to get some things in order before she left her home for an indeterminate amount of time, but after what they were planning on doing today she'd begin her temporary, or _"very temporary"_ residence in his home. He already had a good idea of the do's and don'ts around her, so it wouldn't be nearly as difficult this time around. Especially since so many circumstances were different.

When Shirō had told Rin what his plan was, she'd nearly backed out right then and there. After all, willingly entering another Master's territory without a plan of attack, or a plan _to_ attack was basically suicide. However, it was true that their previous encounter with the Einzbern heiress didn't end with Shirō getting squashed like a bug by her Berserker and they didn't have very many options with just one Servant on their side. Rin was aware that Shirō could fight, but she was still having a hard time coming to grips with what he was capable of when everything else said he should be a weak and frail teenage boy in comparison to her, not to mention how he _should_ fair against an actual Servant.

Shirō himself wasn't entirely sure what all he could do at this point, but that wasn't a good thing. If he wasn't aware of what his own limits were, he could easily wind up in trouble against certain opponents. What if he couldn't use his Unlimited Blade Works? What if he lost the ability to use Arcurant? What if he couldn't use Time Alter when he really needed it? He needed to fight with strategy no matter what he had at his disposal. A trump card should only be played when necessary, after all, and he definitely didn't want to resort to using _that._

* * *

As they crossed the threshold into the Einzbern's territory, a small shiver went down Rin's spine. She silently cursed Emiya for convincing her this was their only option. Even from their brief meeting, she could tell that not just her Servant, but the Einzbern girl herself was dangerous and Rin also wasn't entirely confident in her state of mind.

The trees around the trio seemed to thicken with each step, and the world around them was deathly still and silent, their footsteps and breathing the only signs that the world hadn't suddenly stopped around them. The fog in the area surrounded them, making it difficult to see more than a few steps ahead. The cobblestone road beneath their feet felt like it could fall away at any moment.

But it didn't. The fog around them lifted off like a blanket and they found themselves within the courtyard of the Einzbern Estate. How they got there when they were previously on a road that Shirō said would take nearly twenty minutes of walking to get through was a mystery. Yet, the grand home seemed deathly still. Rin would've expected to see _someone_ within a few moments. The Einzberns were said to have quite a lot of Maids at their disposal. Where were they?

"Welcome back, Onii-chan." A voice called out. Rin looked up to a nearby balcony and saw her. Illyasviel von Einzbern. Thankfully that monster of hers was nowhere to be seen, but that didn't put her fast-beating heart at rest. If he wasn't seen, that meant he could be waiting for a moment to launch a surprise attack.

Without warning, the girl jumped from the balcony, arms outstretched with a large smile on her face, and fell right into Shirō's waiting arms. Rin looked at the scene in amazement and confusion as the girl hugged Shirō and asked how he'd been. She looked to Saber to see what her reaction was, but there didn't seem to be any. She stood there silently and still. But.. Was that a smile on her face?

Finally, Shirō set Ilya down, and the girl's demeanor changed. Suddenly entirely serious, she looked at Rin with a cold, calculating look in her eyes that told the other girl she would be in danger if it wasn't for Shirō's presence. "What's the Tohsaka heiress doing here with you, Onii-chan?"

"It's a long story and I want as few people hearing it as possible. Can we come inside? I promise she won't be any trouble." Shirō replied. Rin felt indigent at Shirō's promise, as if she would be the one to start anything. But she remained silent as the Einzbern heiress gave her another once-over before nodding her head.

Ilya took Shirō by the hand and pulled him towards the house, the Rin and Saber following closely behind him. Rin wondered what exactly there was between Shirō and the Einzbern girl, but quickly banished the thoughts. That wasn't her problem, and she shouldn't be worrying about it. Again, she looked to Saber, but the small smile on the Servant's face remained. Didn't she realize how much danger they were all in?

Twin doors opened as Ilya approached them with Shirō in tow, revealing two maids, one both of them holding trays containing what seemed to be tea and snacks. Was Ilya anticipating their arrival, or did the bounded field being crossed signal her? Either way, Rin took this show of hospitality in stride. It meant that she wasn't planning on killing them in an ambush, at least.

Plus, the way she tightly held Shirō's hand, as if he would disappear if her grasp wasn't tight enough, spoke volumes of how she felt about her 'Onii-chan' despite her otherwise cold and calculating demeanor. The small group entered a dining room entirely too large for the few amount of people there, but at the same time it didn't seem large enough, as Ilya's Berserker stood by the fireplace, his eyes watching their every movement. The giant made the room feel like little more than a storage closet.

Nevertheless, they all took their seats at the table, with Ilya choosing to sit, in Rin's mind, entirely too close to Shirō as she and Saber took the opposite side of the table, which was thankfully slightly farther away from Berserker.

"So, Onii-chan, what did you want to discuss?"

* * *

Within the depths of Mount Enzou, raw and unfiltered Mana filled the room once again. The magical energy was slowly collected by three fonts, and not an ounce of it would go to waste or be unneeded. Summoning one of Morgan's pets took nearly a full day by itself, but to summon three at once was causing the process to take quite a bit longer. Yet, Morgan claimed this was due to the power of the final three, not because of any inefficiency.

As Medea and Morgan poured their Mana into the room in a slow and steady flow, the former's mind began to wander, thinking back to Agravain's words. Would Morgan truly betray her? If she did, she'd hardly be able to contend with her at this point. All of her pets, including the Dragon, would be too much to handle on her own, and she'd never put her husband in danger. The mere fact that he still resided within the temple above was dangerous enough.

Yet, if she were to leave Morgan's side, she would undoubtedly make an enemy of her where she was the only one she could tacitly call an ally in the first place. Either Morgan or the other Masters and Servants would eventually catch up to her and all her hard work will have gone to waste.

She thought back to Sōichirō's words, about the Emiya boy. Someone her husband respected and embodied an ideal he himself could not claim to hold. She had faith in his assessment that he would not designate her or Sōichirō as his enemy, but he was still an extremely unknown variable. He displayed so much competency when it came to battle that, from her point of view, it was as natural as breathing to him. He had so much power at his disposal that it was a mystery why he hadn't already slain the other Masters as soon as the war began.

Idealistic and naive. That's what Sōichirō had called him.

Could there truly be someone like that in this war? In this world?

* * *

"Mount Enzou is a natural ley line, so it makes sense a Master and Servant would set up shop there." Ilya said, nodding her head. Shirō had just finished explaining their situation to her and the previous attempts to investigate the Temple.

"Yeah, that's what we were thinking, too. But since Archer left, we're short-handed. Especially.." Shirō started.

"Especially since the Tohsaka heiress isn't very competent when it comes to fighting." Ilya said. Shirō winced at the accusation, but it wasn't entirely untrue. Against another Magus or even Caster, Rin could hold her own pretty well, but close-combat types were a bad matchup for them, and barring Tristan, that was all they had been dealing with.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I almost blew away one of those things!" Rin said, her first outburst of the day after several of Ilya's unmasked insults. The smaller girl's eyes turned towards her, suddenly sharp and deadly.

"But you _didn't_ , did you? You miscalculated and nearly got Onii-chan killed. If it hadn't been for.. that light, he almost certainly _would_ have been killed. If he had, I would have hunted you down and-" Ilya stopped, Shirō's hand patting her head lightly.

"Don't put it all on her. We'd all only been fighting with swords. If their weakness had been magic-based attacks, it could've been a seriously good move." Shirō said, smiling down at Ilya. Her getting mad for his sake made him feel warm, but her anger was misplaced.

"But if it wasn't for.. _that_ , you might've died. I won't let that happen." Ilya said, her emotional voice betraying the cold exterior she had been showing Rin. But that wasn't what had Rin interested.

"What is ' _that'?_ "

Ilya's mouth clamped shut, ashamed she hadn't chosen her words more carefully. Yet, looking to Shirō, he didn't seem uncomfortable.

"Does she know, Onii-chan?" Ilya asked carefully.

Shirō shook his head. "I was planning on telling her today, but.. There's more to it than what I told you before, Ilya. I'm sorry for not telling you before, but I wasn't sure how you might react given the circumstances at the time."

Surprisingly, Ilya nodded in understanding. "After seeing you do all the things you've done, I figured you were hiding something. So, what is it?"

"Well, first off-" Shirō started, materializing Arcurant for those in the room to see. He placed it on the table gently, being careful not to scuff the wood surface. "-I should start with this. Ilya, you've seen this before, but Rin hasn't."

"... What _is_ that, Emiya?" Rin said, unsure what kind of artifact she was looking at. To her eyes, she could tell it was _immensely_ powerful. If he somehow drew on its power, it could explain part of how he was cable of doing all the things he could do. She couldn't recognize _any_ of the Runes, and she had a fairly strong education in such things.

Shirō looked to Rin. "This is Arcurant. You won't find any examples or descriptions of it in any book. It's not any kind of artifact, Mystic Code, or Noble Phantasm. It's.. well, it's unique to me. Linked to me, I guess you could say."

That was _not_ an answer that Tohsaka was expecting, nor one that made understanding Emiya Shirō any easier. Then, the sword on the table shimmered, dispersed into particles, and surrounded Shirō. The particles clung to him and slowly re-took physical form, albeit it looked like some kind of armor now.

"It can also do this." Shirō said.

Already, Rin could feel her brain hurting, and she had a feeling it wouldn't get any better as his explanation went on.

* * *

"What did you _do_ , Vivian?" Merlin asked, clutching his Galator tightly. Though he spoke to nobody within the room, the woman he was envisioning spoke back to him. Such was the power of the Galator, being able to connect two minds from very far away. It could breach even Morgan's barrier. Yet, he had used it too recently. In order to use it again in such a short time, he had to burn away part of his own life force. He was part Incubus, so he had a longer lifespan than most, but it was still a significant toll to pay, especially when he had already spent centuries in Morgan's trap.

" _I did only what was necessary, Merlin. That boy's role is greater than you know, and your interference was a great boon to more than just those two."_ Came the response in his mind.

Merlin frowned. "I did it of my own volition. I accept that. Yet, all these things seem to say that you or whoever you're connected to were planning on this happening."

" _You know me better than that, Merlin. When you asked me for help, I had no ulterior motives. I did not plan any of this. When **they** came to me, seeking to help me, to help you, I accepted. I merely acted as a conduit for what they did."_

"You accepted _help_ from someone you don't even know? What exactly did they do, Vivian?"

" _Something was -and is- going to happen, Merlin. So many things could change. That boy was always related, but disconnected. Your actions, **our** actions have connected him. It has given him the power he sought. Yet, it did not come without a responsibility." _She explained.

" _What_ responsibility?"

* * *

"Unfortunately, there are no suitable Masters for you at this time, Archer."

Archer frowned at the statement. He had come to the church in order to establish a new contract so he wouldn't have to waste his own Mana. Though his memories were hazy at best, he knew that there should be _someone_ available by now. If the circumstances were different, he'd go off on his own, but with the increasing number of irregularities that might be a bad idea. He could try his chances at assassinating his former self, but he didn't want to bring harm to either Saber or Rin.

If his Mana ran out, he'd only be sustained by his Contract, which would take away the vast majority of his free will that being a Servant granted him, until he fulfilled his duties as a Counter Guardian. After that, he'd almost certainly be taken away to the next time and place that needed him, without fulfilling his own goal.

"I don't care who it is. They don't need to be a proper Magus. I just need Mana." Archer said, staring down Kirei from his seat on the church pew.

The priest cocked his head. "Do you believe you can win the Grail without a competent Master?"

"I _know_ I can win. No matter who I face, I can deal with them." Archer proclaimed. Though he was overplaying his confidence, he _did_ believe he could beat just about any other Servant. Decades and decades of experience fighting all manner of enemy meant he had an almost endless series of plans and strategies up his sleeve, and if all else failed, there was his Unlimited Blade Works.

* * *

Shirō and Arturia had both agreed to tell as much of their story as they could to Rin and Ilya, but hearing it spoken made it all sound like a fever dream. But it wasn't a dream, and neither Ilya nor Rin seemed to treat it like such once Shirō began explaining things. They were both quiet and listened to every word, but Shirō could tell that Ilya was more believing than Rin was. Once it was finished, her first question made that very clear.

"So, what, you're from the future? No, wait. You're from a hundred different futures, right? How can you expect me to believe that? Sure, you're strong, but you're kidding, right? Time travel? Do you even know what all that would entail?" Rin asked, a disbelieving scowl on her face.

"Rin, just because you cannot understand something does not mean it is not so. I'm sure-" Arturia started before Rin cut in.

"Don't you start, too, Saber. How can you just go along with this? You're a Knight, right? Isn't being dishonest against your code?"

Arturia frowned. Neither she nor Shirō expected so much resistance from Rin. Meanwhile, Ilya remained silent, looking down at her cup of tea that had long since gone cold, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Rin, we're telling the truth because we didn't want to keep hiding it from you. If we're going to stop the War, we need-"

"Stop the war? A corrupted Holy Grail? Time travel? Nothing you say makes any sense, and you can't offer a single bit of evidence other than that transforming sword to back up what you're saying. It could be some secret, ancient artifact, or some kind of new Mystic Code."

Shirō grit his teeth. _This_ was the Rin that he found difficult to work with. She wouldn't believe him no matter what he said about how this all came to be. However, there were things he knew about her, her past and her family, that nobody else did. Bringing them up without reason or cause could damage their friendship, but not bringing them up would mean she would never believe them and, at worst, she'd leave and he wouldn't be able to protect her.

After taking a deep breath, he spoke, looking directly at her. "Your family helped found the Fuyuki Holy Grail Wars with the intention to reach Akasha. The root of all knowledge. Your father, Tokiomi, was the Master of Archer in the previous War. He let Zouken adopt your sister, Sakura, since you were the more talented child."

Rin's eyes went wide with both anger and guilt, but before she could speak, Shirō continued.

"Matou Kariya was a friend of your mother's, but a failure as a Magus. Despite that, he tried to save Sakura from Zouken's clutches. He became the Master of Berserker. Arturia, who was my Father's Servant, defeated Berserker and Kariya died after his body gave out. Your father worked with Kirei to obtain the Grail, but Kirei used the Azoth Sword he had been given to kill him and took his Servant. You've always had your suspicions, but you didn't want it to be true because it would isolate you from the one person who knew you. You never got to show your father the jewel you made while the War was going on, and you still have it in a box on your nightstand in your room. You want to save Sakura, but every time you see her it hurts because you feel guilty for what happened to her."

Rin, who had fallen to her knees, had succumb to her emotions that she had been so fervently repressing for so long. Anger. Hatred. Guilt. Sorrow. Grief. Frustration. Confusion. They spilled forth freely in the form of tears and sobbing. The whirlwind of emotions ensured she didn't hear anything else Shirō had said.

Shirō felt bad for causing this, but it had to be done. Whether she would worth with them or not after this didn't matter. She had a right to know, and he needed her to believe him so she wouldn't make it more difficult to protect her. Arturia knelt down and put her arms around Rin, who clung absentmindedly to her as she sobbed. Rin's display did no favors for the strong and competent image she usually put forth, but it was just another reminder of how hard she -and everyone involved- was working toward their goals. It wasn't just him and Arturia on a mission. Everyone had something they were fighting for, and the power that the Grail promised could make that dream, that goal of theirs a reality. At least, that was what it was said to be. He, Arturia, and now Rin and Ilya knew differently.

But to be torn between the duties and obligations of a Magus and the bonds of family like Rin had been wasn't something he ever dealt with. It was much more complicated to figure out the right thing to do when you already had something you wanted.

"Onii-chan?"

A voice and tug at Shirō's shirt hem brought him out of his thoughts. He looked down to Ilya, who stood right next to him, meetings his eyes with a gaze he had seen before. Either she was going to say something that tugged at his heart strings, or...

"Since Saber is your first wife, I'm content being your second wife."

.. Something completely absurd.

Still, it helped lighten the mood of the room a bit.

* * *

Though she had calmed down, Rin still demanded more proof. Not of Shirō and Arturia's story. She found it difficult enough to even accept, but he knew things absolutely nobody else could possibly know. No, what she wanted was proof of his abilities. Rather, an explanation of what all he was capable of. When he admitted he wasn't sure himself since he hadn't had any chance to really figure things out, Ilya offered to set up additional Bounded Fields for maximum security and privacy. Thus, the group found themselves out in the courtyard.

"Alright, I'll start with something basic. Projection." Shirō said. He extended his hand and a weapon materialized into his grip instantly, but it wasn't just any weapon. It was an Azoth Sword that bared the very same appearance as the one crafted Tokiomi Tohsaka, Rin's father.

Rin could almost feel her remaining disbelief being shattered after seeing that. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Rin asked, narrowing her eyes.

Shirō simply smiled the same smile she found infuriating before projecting a second weapon into his other hand. This time, it was a large, spiral-like sword that looked extremely heavy, yet Shirō held the weapon out in one hand with no visible effort.

"Alright, so I can still project two completely unrelated swords at once. I wasn't able to do that by now last time." Shirō said, smiling at his success. Then, he dropped the weapons from his grasp, yet they disappeared before they hit the ground, breaking into particles of light that dissipated quickly. He focused his mind and called inward.

Around him, swords materialized out of the same kind of particles that the previous weapons had become, which appeared out of thin air. They floated around him, completely stationary. There were five different swords in all, each one a clearly powerful weapon in its own right. For some reason, Rin felt like he had seen at least one of them before.

"You can make five of those things at once?" Rin asked, a little shocked despite everything she'd seen and heard.

Shirō's hands caressed the swords floating in midair not unlike a man would caress his child, gazing at them with eyes that held a far-away look. "I can probably do more. I just wanted to start out with something nice and easy. Plus..."

Arturia approached Shirō, staring at the swords he had projected. "You found them? But Caliburn.." She asked. He nodded.

"When I was trying to find a way to get to Avalon, I thought tracking them down might lead me to a clue. Caliburn was actually pretty easy in comparison to the others." Shirō replied.

"Avalon? But that's.. It exists on the reverse side of the world. A human could never.." Rin muttered.

"Yeah. That's what every bit of lore said. But I was never one to give up. I'm pretty sure I actually know a way to get there, but my contract prevented me from going."

"Onii-chan, are those..?" Ilya asked, having a good idea of what the weapons Shirō had projected were. He nodded.

"Arondight. Clarent. Excalibur Galatine. Caliburn. Excalibur. These are just projections, but the ones inside are the originals. At least, they should be. I'm not sure how that works now. Do two or more of them exist now? I'm not really sure." Shirō said, confirming Ilya's theory.

"How did you find Caliburn?" Arturia asked, Shirō's possession of the weapon he claimed to be the 'original' to be quite a shock.

Shirō smiled. "It shattered in battle, but the pieces remained. Tracking them down was pretty easy. After that all I needed were your memories and my **Reinforcement**."

Arturia's hands hovered close to the golden sword, but she dared not touch it. She had broken the rules of chivalry, which was why it broke. She didn't deserve to touch it. Shirō knew her feelings on the matter well. One by one, the weapons around him disappeared, with Caliburn disappearing last.

"Wait. Back up. 'Inside?' Inside what?" Rin asked, breaking Arturia out of her trance.

"That's what I want to test next. My Unlimited Blade Works."

* * *

Kirei entered the main hall of the Church, where Archer was, still sat on the pews with his feet kicked up on the back of the next row. A single eye opened to observe Kirei as he approached the Servant.

"You are in luck, Archer. I have come up with an idea. You'll get all the Mana you need." Kirei said, an out of place smile on his face.

Archer didn't move. He didn't speak. He didn't blink. If he was interested in whatever Kirei was offering, he showed no signs of such.

"Though it might be a bit irregular, I can provide you with the Mana you need until you find yourself a suitable Master." Kirei claimed.

"You're the Overseer, right? Wouldn't having a Servant be against the rules?" Archer asked, breaking his silence.

"There are no _rules_ in _war_. As a Servant, you should know that. How many wars have you fought? How much death and destruction have you seen? Did your enemies abide by the rules?"

Archer closed his one open eye, thinking. It was true. Though his memory was still a mess, he was firmly aware that the second you started playing by the rules in a war, you've lost. The offer was intriguing, yet... "What is it you want in return?"

Kirei's out of place smile changed, becoming something that looked more appropriate. Something more sinister. Archer didn't care for the previous smile, yet he disliked this one even more.

"There is something I'd like you to do. It won't negatively impact your chances of winning. I simply need you to find something and deliver it to me." Kirei said.

Archer frowned. "You want me to be a courier? You're not bound to this Church, so why not get it yourself?"

"What I want is being protected by a Servant. I fear I wouldn't be a match for beings such as yourself. But since you're not a Servant who fights recklessly, my reserves should be enough to sustain you. After you deliver, I'll ensure that you have all the Mana you need. Perhaps you'll even find a more suitable source of Mana in a new Master."

Archer thought about the offer. Whatever this man wanted, it obviously wasn't something he was going to get easily. It was probably dangerous and morally objectionable, but he didn't really care much about morals anymore. He opened his mouth to answer, but never got the chance as he was interrupted by the large wooden doors of the church opening, letting in the waning sunlight.

A figure appeared in the doorway. Female. Yet, much of her features were obscured by the light from behind her, giving her an almost biblical appearance as she took a few steps into the church. One thing, however, did not escape Archer's trained eyes. There was a sword strapped to her side. In the span of less than a quarter of a second, he knew everything about the it.

Then, a lance materialized in her hand which had a flag attached to it. She pointed it directly at the priest. "Overseer Kirei Kotomine, the Grail declares that you are hereby discharged from your position."


End file.
